Devyn Murphy: Second Year at Hogwarts
by Nathan Lane-Beatles Luvr
Summary: Sequel to Devyn Murphy: First Year at Hogwarts. This time, Devyn has to deal with the legend of the Chamber of Secrets, entering her teenage years and all that comes with it, and the everyday life at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Well, no one can say that her life is boring at least. (Follows second movie)
1. Chapter 1

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 1**

Devyn was worried. Harry hadn't been replying to any of her letters. She had wondered if she angered him somehow and this was simply the closest thing to a silent treatment he could manage right now. But that didn't make any sense. She had been writing him almost every week since they returned home for the summer. Harry was a complicated person, but what could he be angry about with _her_?

So, she checked with Hermione and Ron and Neville, who had all been writing Harry and who had all received no reply in return. Hermione was worried, Ron was frustrated, and Neville was confused.

"I don't get it, Nev," Devyn said. Neville looked up from their game of Gobstones. He frowned in confusion.

"What do you mean, you don't 'get it'? All you do is try and get your Gobstone as close to the hole as possible while knocking my Gobstone out of the way and not trying to fall into the hole yourself."

Devyn gave him a look. "I'm not confused about Gobstones, Neville. I'm confused about why Harry hasn't been writing any of us back."

Neville frowned again and shrugged. "Maybe he's been busy. Or maybe he's just forgotten."

"After what we all went through last year, no way. Harry isn't like that. Besides, you haven't seen his family, if you can even call it that. They hate him, Neville. There's no way he could possibly be busy with them, unless by 'busy' you mean beating them off with a stick."

Neville looked thoughtful and said, "Then I really don't know. Maybe the owl got lost or...or..."

Neville trailed off at the look Devyn gave him. "Okay, I know, that was a stupid thought. Why would the owl get lost? They never do, for whatever reason."

"No, it wasn't stupid, Neville. I mean, that could explain why my letters haven't been reaching him, but what about yours, or Hermione's, or Ron's? And why wouldn't he just use Hedwig to write us? It's so weird..."

Neville had been spending a lot of time over at Devyn's house (well, Moony's house, really) over the summer. However, it was nearing the end of August and they were preparing to go back to Hogwarts. Devyn was extremely excited but her excitement kept getting interrupted by her concern about Harry.

_Whomp!_

Devyn looked around and noticed a very old, very frail owl flying into a window across the room from Devyn and Neville.

"Errol," Devyn said. "It's Ron."

She walked over to the window and opened it, allowing the elderly owl inside. He hooted gratefully and Devyn stroked his feathers. She shook her head as she untied the letter from Errol's leg.

"I don't know why Ron insists on using you, Errol. No offense, but you really shouldn't be flying distances as long as these."

Devyn wasn't sure how exactly far away The Burrow, Ron's home in Ottery St. Catchpole, was from her and Moony's house in Manchester, but she figured it was way too far for Errol to be flying.

Errol hooted his agreement and Devyn opened the letter from Ron and went over to Neville so they could read it together.

_Dear Devyn and Neville, since I'm sure he's there,_

_Look, I haven't been hearing anything from Harry. I'm guessing you two haven't either. I know Hermione hasn't. So, here's the plan. I'm going to write him one more letter before Fred, George, and I go to rescue him. We'd invite you along, but the means of transportation we have isn't very big, and - well, I'll be honest with you, but there is something you have to promise me first. Okay? Don't tell Remus. Or your grandmother, Neville. Don't tell either of them. Okay, so the only way we have to get to Harry's house is a flying car. My dad is obsessed with Muggle things and somehow he got his hands on a Ford Anglia. I don't know much about it, but I do know that my dad enchanted the thing to fly. So that's what we're gonna use to get Harry. Again, you have to promise NOT TO TELL REMUS OR NEVILLE'S GRANDMOTHER. If they find out, they'll tell my parents, and Fred, George and I will be dead. Like I said, I'm going to write him one more letter. If he doesn't respond, we're going to go get him. If he DOES respond, well, we're gonna get him anyway. Hope everything is all right with you two and Remus, and Neville's grandmother. See you in Diagon Alley I hope. If not, see you on the train. _

_From,_

_Ron_

Devyn closed her eyes in amazement. "They have a flying car," she whispered. She opened her eyes and Neville shook his head in wonder.

"Unbelievable," Neville said.

"What's unbelievable?" Moony said as he walked in. Devyn quickly hid the letter and luckily, Moony didn't notice because he tried to help Devyn with one of her Gobstones and ended up being sprayed in the face by the Gobstone.

He snorted and wiped the liquid off his face before saying, "I never was very good at that game. Now what's unbelievable?"

"Uh, Ron just sent a letter using Errol," Neville lied, on the spot, beautifully. "What's unbelievable is that Errol survived the journey."

"Ah," Moony replied, nodding his head. He looked over at the exhausted owl and smiled. "You're right, Neville. It is unbelievable that Errol survived. But he's a tough owl."

Moony turned to Devyn and said, "I have to run into town for a little bit. You two can come if you want..."

"No, that's okay, Moony. Thanks, though," Devyn said. Neville nodded and Remus shrugged. "Okay, then. See you a little bit." He walked over to Devyn and planted a kiss on her head before ruffling Neville's hair.

He walked out and both of the kids breathed a sigh of relief.

"Nice job, Neville. Coming up with the Errol thing on the spot, like that," Devyn said. Neville smiled and said, "I don't like lying to Remus. Or my grandmother for that matter..."

"Neither do I, Nev, but if it means getting Harry away from the Dursleys..."

"I know, I know. Now, come on, let's finish our game of Gobstones."

"Okay," Devyn agreed. They went back to trying to knock each other's Gobstones out of the way, and subsequently getting sprayed in the face by the little marble-like balls, but the worry never left Devyn's mind.

_What if something happens? What if something has already happened...? No, Devyn, stop it. You can't do this to yourself. Harry's fine. He'll be fine._

_He has to be. He just has to be..._


	2. Chapter 2

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 2**

As Devyn looked around the amazing and breathtaking Diagon Alley, she almost couldn't believe that it had been an entire year since she had been there last. Back then, she hadn't even known Moony, or Harry, or Ron, or Hermione, or Neville. Just the thought of not knowing any of them, or having them in her life was horrible and unthinkable to her now.

Just over a single year ago, she had no family, no friends, and she never thought she would. But then Professor McGonagall changed all that by granting her the simple knowledge that she was a witch. After everything that had happened in the past year, the thought of not being a part of this amazing (and confusing) world scared her more than anything.

This was her life, her world, and no matter how dangerous it could be sometimes, she loved it.

"Devyn, come on, we have to go to Flourish and Blotts," Moony said. Devyn nodded and the two of them walked off towards the book shop and Devyn smiled when she saw Hermione, and two people who must have been her parents.

"Hermione!" she called. Hermione turned around and smiled when she saw Devyn.

"Devyn! It's so good to see you! Hello, Mr. Lupin." Hermione said, walking over to her. Hermione's parents walked up behind their daughter and said, "Did I hear right? You're Devyn Murphy?"

Devyn nodded and Mrs. Granger beamed. "I want to thank you for being such a good friend to our Hermione. She talks about you all the time, of course!"

Moony and Devyn smiled and Hermione blushed. "Mum, don't…"

Mr. Granger smiled and Mrs. Granger said, "Oh, I've embarrassed her."

Moony chuckled and said, "Don't worry, Mrs. Granger; it's a parent's job to embarrass their children."

"Oh, you must be Devyn's father!" Mrs. Granger said. Devyn wondered how Moony was going to reply to this. But to his credit, he simply said, "Well, I'm her godfather. I adopted Devyn last year. I'm Remus Lupin; it's nice to meet you." He put out his hand and Mrs. Granger shook it.

"Allison Granger. This is my husband, David," Mrs. Granger said. Moony shook Mr. Granger's hand. Just then Devyn spotted the Weasleys, who had just walked in. She also noticed that they looked rather worried.

Devyn looked at Hermione and jerked her head towards the Weasleys. Hermione nodded and said, "Mum, Dad, Devyn and I are going to say hello to the Weasleys. Our friend Ron's family."

"Of course, honey, just don't wander off," Mr. Granger said. Moony had them engaged in conversation about the Wizarding World.

"They don't understand much about it, you see," Hermione said. "They are Muggles after all."

Devyn nodded and then thought about how weird it must be for Mr. and Mrs. Granger to be surrounded by the magical people and objects in Diagon Alley. But then she pushed the thoughts aside when Ron saw her.

Ron, who had grown at least three inches over the summer, grinned at her and Hermione when he noticed them.

"Hey Ron, how are you?" Devyn asked. She nodded to Fred and George, who grinned identically back at her. Percy smiled slightly when he saw her and Devyn sort of smiled back. She didn't really like Percy all that much, but she grinned when she saw Ginny.

"All right, you?" Ron replied. Devyn nodded and said, "I'm pretty good. Excited about Hogwarts, Ginny?" Ginny nodded quickly and smiled.

"What about you, Hermione?" Ron said. Hermione smiled and said, "I've been good."

Mrs. Weasley clicked her tongue impatiently and Ron said, "Oh, Mum, well, you know Devyn already, but this is Hermione Granger. Dad, this is Devyn Murphy and well, Hermione Granger."

"Pleasure to meet you, dear," Mrs. Weasley said. Hermione smiled and Mrs. Weasley said, "It's lovely to see you again, Devyn. Have you had a good summer?"

"Yes, thank you, Mrs. Weasley. And it's nice to meet you Mr. Weasley," Devyn said. Mr. Weasley smiled and said, "Yes, I've heard a lot about you two from Ron. It's nice to be able to meet you both."

"Ron, where's Harry? Didn't you…?" Devyn asked. Mrs. Weasley suddenly grew stern. "Oh yes he did. But now, we don't know where he is! I'm so very worried about him. And he's going to miss seeing Gilderoy Lockhart," Mrs. Weasley added, flushing a little. All of her sons rolled their eyes and Ginny sort of giggled.

"What do you mean; you don't know where Harry is? And who is Gilderoy Lockhart?" Devyn asked. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny looked astonished.

"You don't know who he is?" Ginny asked her. Devyn shook her head and Mrs. Weasley said, "He's fantastic. He's an author and he's ever so brave. He's faced all sorts of things."

"Yeah, like ghouls, and banshees, and vampires, and werewolves! He's done so much and he's doing a book signing today for his new book, 'Magical Me'." Ginny pointed to a sign with his picture on it. He was waving and smiling and winking. He had blonde hair and bright blue eyes. All in all, he wasn't a bad looking bloke, but he was a bit pretty for her tastes. Hermione's face lit up, but Devyn's reaction was the opposite.

"I dunno," she said. "He seems a bit full of himself to me. I mean, who names a book 'Magical Me'?"

The Weasley males looked joyous and Mrs. Weasley and Ginny looked shocked.

"You have no idea," Fred started.

"How long we have waited to meet a girl," George continued.

"Who didn't swoon at the mere mention of Lockhart," Fred finished. Even Mr. Weasley was grinning at her although he kept sneaking looks at his wife to make sure she wasn't looking. Devyn had a feeling it would be an awkward conversation for Mr. Weasley if he had to explain that he didn't like Gilderoy Lockhart.

Devyn shrugged and turned back to Ron. "So what about Harry?"

"Well, see, Harry never used the Floo before," Ron began and Devyn rolled her eyes. She had just used the Floo for the first time today with Moony, to come into Diagon Alley (they entered through the Leaky Cauldron's fireplace). She really didn't like it. "So he didn't really know what to do. I think maybe he got nervous or something, but he ended up saying 'diagonally' instead of 'Diagon Alley' and now we don't know where he ended up."

"Oh, boy. Only Harry," Devyn said. Ron nodded and said, "I know."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Weasley, Devyn and I will go outside and keep an eye out for him. We'll bring him straight in when he turns up," Hermione said. Mrs. Weasley beamed at them both and the two girls walked out.

Hermione lit up again when she saw Lockhart's picture and Devyn rolled her eyes. "Hermione, please don't tell me you have a crush on this bloke."

"Well, alright, I won't tell you."

Devyn groaned and said, "Oh, Hermione, no."

"What?"

"First off, the guy is a complete fraud!"

"How do you know that? I've read his books. They're quite good. Besides, they're on our book list this year. I don't think the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher would assign books that were written by a fraud."

Devyn checked her book list and saw that it was true; Lockhart's books were, in fact, on their book list. Devyn shook her head and said, "Hermione, look at him!"

"Oh, I am," Hermione replied. Devyn rolled her eyes and said, "No, I mean, really look at him. If he took on all those creatures, _by himself_, there's no way that he'd come out looking that pretty. No way."

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked.

Devyn was getting frustrated. "Okay, well, one of his books is titled 'Wandering with Werewolves', right? Right. Werewolve_s_, as in plural. More than one. Do you really think that this pretty boy could go up against multiple werewolves – an entire village of them – and walk away with no wounds? No scars, nothing?"

"Well, maybe he's a just really talented wizard! Or maybe his scars were healed, if he had any at all!"

"Hermione, trust me on this, wounds that were inflicted by a werewolf **cannot be healed**. At least not fully, and I am telling you, if that man went up against more than one werewolf all by himself, he would have walked away mangled, if he walked away at all."

Hermione sniffed and said, "Well, I just don't think you like the fact that he could beat a werewolf, especially considering your Animagus is a wolf!"

"Hermione, will you keep it down?! No one is supposed to know about Snow, not yet. Not even Moony knows yet. I don't know how he would react…"

Hermione's expression softened and she said, "I imagine he would be proud that you could accomplish something like that at such a young age, without even trying to. But, really, Devyn, you can't go around accusing people of being frauds when all you have for proof is your own speculation."

"Whatever, Hermione. Believe what you want. But something is off about this guy, I can feel it."

Hermione chose not to answer but a second later she shouted, "Harry! Hagrid!"

Sure enough, walking up the street was Harry and the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Hagrid. Devyn beamed when she saw them. Hagrid meant a great deal to her and Harry, of course, was one of her best friends.

"Hello Hermione, Devyn!" Devyn ran up to Harry and hugged him tightly. "Hey, Hagrid!" she said as she passed him. Hagrid chuckled when Devyn got her arms around Harry. He stumbled a little but managed to keep them on their feet.

"Oof – it's nice to see you, too, Devyn," Harry said. Devyn smiled and released Harry. "Harry, are you okay? How are you? Why didn't you answer any of our letters?!"

Hagrid chuckled again and Harry said, "It's a long story, I'll tell you later."

Devyn grumped but said, "Fine, okay."

Hermione finally reached the three of them and said, "Oh, it's so good to see you."

Harry smiled and said, "It's great to see you, too!"

Hermione smiled and said, "What have you done to your glasses? _Oculus Reparo_."

Devyn rolled her eyes when Harry grinned and said, "I definitely need to remember that one." Devyn laughed and Hagrid said, "You'll be all right now then, Harry?"

Harry, Hermione, and Devyn all nodded and Hagrid said, "Right. I'll leave you to it, then."

"Okay, bye!" Hermione said.

"Thanks, Hagrid!" Devyn called after him as he walked away. "Thank you, bye!" Harry said. Hermione turned to Harry and said, "Come on, everyone's been so worried!"

Hermione and Devyn dragged Harry into Flourish and Blotts and over to the Weasleys and Moony. Mrs. Weasley turned around and said, "Oh, Harry! Thank goodness, we'd hoped you'd only gone one grate too far."

Moony smiled at him but Harry didn't have time to answer because a worker for Flourish and Blotts announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Gilderoy Lockhart!"

Mrs. Weasley gasped and said, "Oh, here he is!"

Devyn rolled her eyes as the blonde man from the pictures stepped out and started posing for pictures with what was clearly his most "charming" smile. She looked up at Moony, who was also rolling his eyes. They smiled at each other in amusement and then turned their attention back to the egotistical man in front of them.

"Mum fancies him," Ron told Harry. Mrs. Weasley smacked Ron on the arm and then a photographer came pushing past all of them. He knocked Devyn aside into someone, and that someone caught her. "Oh, sorry," Devyn said, looking up at the person who caught her. She broke into a wide smile when she saw who it was. "Neville!"

"Hello, Devyn," he said, hugging her in greeting.

"Thanks for catching me," Devyn said. Neville shrugged and said, "No problem."

"Make way there! Please! Let me by, Madam, thank you. Excuse me, little girl, this is for the Daily Prophet!"

Mrs. Weasley pulled Ginny out of the way as the pushy photographer snapped pictures of Lockhart. Lockhart was grinning and beaming to his heart's content, but stopped when he saw (and Devyn's heart dropped here) Harry.

"It can't be -! Harry Potter!" Lockhart said loudly. The entire shop burst out into whispers and the photographer nearly shrieked, "Harry Potter?! Excuse me, madam!" He excused himself when he reached into the crowd and roughly dragged Harry out in front of everyone. Lockhart quickly reached out an arm and clamped Harry to his side.

_Oh, Harry. Poor, poor Harry, _Devyn thought.

"Nice big smile, Harry," Lockhart said. "Together you and I rate the front page!" Lockhart, Devyn supposed, was trying to be quiet but luckily, her lupine hearing kicked in and she heard every word. Lockhart was a fame hog, that's all. Anyone who went up against multiple werewolves wouldn't come out all high and mighty like Lockhart; no, they'd be jumpy, paranoid, and probably rather humble.

_Not to mention, scarred_,Devyn thought, disgruntled. There was no way this man went up against werewolves. _And if he's lying about that, what else is he lying about?_

"Ladies and Gentlemen, what an extraordinary moment this is," Lockhart announced to the crowd. Mrs. Weasley was practically spurting rainbows she looked so happy. Devyn didn't know whether to laugh or throw up at this guy's fakeness.

"When young Harry stepped into Flourish and Blotts this morning to purchase my autobiography, _Magical Me_, which incidentally is celebrating its **27****th **week atop the Daily Prophet's bestseller list, he had no idea that he would, in fact, be leaving…with my entire collected works, free of charge!"

Every single woman and some of the men burst into applause and then the book signing commenced. Mrs. Weasley was wheezing a little when she said, "Harry, now you give me those and I'll get them signed. All of you wait outside. That's it, Ron."

Devyn, Harry, Hermione, Neville and the Weasleys walked towards the open door of Flourish and Blotts when, somewhere inside of her, Snow, Devyn's Animagus, raised her head and sniffed the air. She started growling, which to Devyn, meant either danger or anger.

When she saw what Snow had been growling at, everything became crystal clear.

"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" said a sneering voice.

It was the voice of the most annoying creature to ever walk the earth – Draco Malfoy.


	3. Chapter 3

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 3**

"Oh, perfect," Devyn said to Neville. "My day wouldn't be complete without being annoyed by Malfoy."

Malfoy glared at her but then sneered at Harry, "Famous Harry Potter. Can't even go into a _bookshop_ without making the front page."

Harry's expression remained blank but Ginny was practically shaking in anger. She stepped up and said, "Leave him alone."

Malfoy smiled gleefully and said, "Oh, look, Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend!" Devyn glared at him and said, "Malfoy, I would imagine you remember what happened last year, when you bothered me and my friends?"

Malfoy didn't nod or shake his head, but Devyn knew that he understood. "Good. Now, believe me when I say that I have no problem doing it again."

Malfoy sneered and said, "At least I grew a bit over the summer. You're about the size of a house elf."

Neville started forward but Devyn held him back. She stepped forward and said, "You know, Malfoy, you're right. I didn't grow all that much. But guess what? I don't need to be as tall as you to kick your arse."

Neville laughed and Malfoy sneered, but he couldn't say anything because just then, the silver head of a cane came down upon his shoulder. They all looked up to the owner of the cane and they were met with the sight of Malfoy's father.

Malfoy, Sr. had long blonde hair, the same color as his son's, cool grey eyes, and he was looking down upon them with a disgusted expression.

"Now, now, Draco, play nicely," Malfoy Sr. said. Draco looked up at his father and Devyn saw a new emotion on his face - one that she had never seen before - fear? resentment? She was quite sure what it was, but she was pretty sure she just discovered the reason Malfoy was so mean and spiteful - because of his father.

Malfoy Sr. looked at Harry and said, "Mr. Potter...Lucius Malfoy. We meet at last." He used his cane to push Harry's hair back so that his scar became visible. Harry and Devyn were both looking at Lucius Malfoy with such contempt, it was surprising that Malfoy was still standing there.

"Forgive me," Lucius said. "Your scar is legend. As, of course, is the wizard who gave it to you."

Harry stepped back and glared at Lucius. "Voldemort killed my parents. He was nothing more than a murderer."

Lucius hummed and smirked. "You must be very brave to mention his name...or very foolish."

Devyn rolled her eyes and she and Hermione said in unison, "Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself."

Lucius looked at her and Hermione and said, "And you must be...Miss Granger and Miss Murphy." Draco nodded and Lucius said to Hermione, "Yes, Draco's told me all about _you_. And your parents... Muggles, aren't they?" Lucius looked over at Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who were being almost interrogated by a fascinated Mr. Weasley.

"And you, Miss Murphy...Draco tells me you're very - what's the word - fiery. You are one of the few who -"

"Stands up to him?" Devyn interjected. Lucius sort of inclined his head and Devyn said, "Yes, well, I don't appreciate it when people make fun of my friends, me or my parents. You might think I don't 'respect' your son, but to be honest, he doesn't deserve my respect."

"That's a pity," Lucius said. "The Malfoy family has commanded the respect of the Wizarding World for centuries. It's such a shame that the last member of the Murphy clan won't follow in that fashion."

Devyn knew he was being sarcastic, and she did not appreciate it. "Yes, isn't it? Somehow I think you'll live."

Lucius smirked again and looked at his son. "Now I know why you speak of Miss Murphy so often. She's quite an interesting opponent, to say the least. Perhaps not magically, but for arguments, yes."

Devyn said nothing, knowing that Lucius was only baiting her. Seeing that Devyn wouldn't rise to the bait, he turned to Ron and Ginny. "Let me see...red hair...vacant expressions...tatty second hand book..." Lucius picked up the book that was in Ginny's cauldron and looked it over. "You must be the Weasleys," Lucius finished.

Ron looked like he wanted to say something to Lucius but couldn't because Mr. Weasley showed up and said, "Children, it's mad in here! Let's go outside!"

That sounded like a good idea to Devyn, who really couldn't stand to be in Malfoy's presence for this long. Draco was unbearable enough, but Lucius? That was double trouble right there, and Devyn couldn't stand either of them.

"Well, well, well. Weasley senior," Lucius said softly. Mr. Weasley looked up and his cheery expression faded. He put his arm around Ginny's shoulders protectively and said, "Lucius."

"Busy time at the Ministry, Arthur, all those extra raids? I do hope they're paying you overtime. Although, judging by the state of this," he said, holding up the book, "I'd say not." His expression turned into one of disgust and condescension. "What's the use in being a disgrace to the name of wizard, if they don't even pay you well for it?"

Mr. Weasley, to his credit, stayed calm. Devyn was silently fuming. Who did this guy think he was, talking to Mr. Weasley like that? Talking to _any _of them like that?

"We have a very different idea about what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," Mr. Weasley told him.

Lucius sneered and said, "Clearly. Associating with Muggles..." He stepped forward and put Ginny's book back into her cauldron. "And I thought your family could sink no lower..."

Oddly enough, while Mr. Weasley was death-glaring at Lucius, Devyn noticed another book in Ginny's cauldron, that she was sure hadn't been there before. It was possible that she had simply missed it, but she was sure it hadn't been there before.

It was small and black, but looked completely ordinary. She glanced at Harry and saw him looking at it too.

Looking back at Lucius and Mr. Weasley, she saw the senior Malfoy smirk and say, "I'll see you at work."

He walked away and Draco stopped in front of them and said, "See you at school." Draco sneered at Harry and Ron, and raised his eyebrows at Neville. As he passed Devyn, he reached out a hand and trailed it along her shoulder, just barely touching the necklace that Moony gave her for her birthday last year.

Devyn reacted within a nanosecond. She grabbed his wrist and twisted. He yelped in pain and Devyn's eyes flashed bright green, just for a second, a sign that Snow was starting to come out, and she growled, "You don't get to touch me, **ever**. Now, get lost."

Malfoy sneered at her and walked away. Neville grinned at her and she thought she saw Mr. Weasley smile proudly at her, but she couldn't be sure. Moony walked up and said, "I saw you do that, you know... twist Draco Malfoy's wrist...that wasn't very nice."

Devyn turned and said, "Moony, he touched me without my permission. I was just teaching him a lesson."

Moony smiled and said, "I never said what you did was wrong. I was just saying I saw you do it."

Moony ruffled her hair when she grinned at him and the group started to walk outside. They said their goodbyes to the Weasleys and Hermione, and Devyn and Moony continued shopping for Devyn's school supplies.

"I cannot believe they are assigning Lockhart's books for Defense Against the Dark Arts this year," Moony commented as he piled the books into her cauldron. Devyn nodded and said, "I know. The guy seems like a fraud to me."

Moony laughed and said, "Yeah, well, I remember him at Hogwarts. He was a year or two behind me, James, Lily, and your parents, but he was in Ravenclaw."

"That idiot was in Ravenclaw?"

"Yep. You have to keep in mind that not all Ravenclaws are smart, just like not all Gryffindors are brave."

"Yeah, I know, but he's just...a moron. And he's so full of himself. And he's a total fraud."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, for one thing, one of his books is called 'Wanderings with Werewolves'. Okay, werewolves as in plural, more than one. There is no way that that **idiot** went up against multiple werewolves and got away without a scratch on him."

Moony nodded and said, "Well, just keep your opinion to yourself. I don't want you to get into trouble for accusing someone of being a fraud."

"I know, but still...how can anyone believe that he did all these things? I mean, it's possible that he did, but it's very unlikely."

"I know, but you aren't the only one. When Lockhart was talking, it looked like Neville, Harry, Ron, Fred and George, and Percy all thought he was full of it, too, not to mention, I think he is, as well."

Devyn grinned and nodded. "That's good."

"Yeah. Hey, while I'm thinking about it, I want you to promise me something, okay?"

"Okay, what?"

"Promise me that you'll try to stay out of trouble this year, okay? I don't want you getting hurt like you did last year..."

"I'll try, Moony, but I can't promise anything. Hogwarts isn't exactly the safest place on earth, you know. Accidents are bound to happen."

"I know, but please be careful," Moony said, looking worried. Devyn nodded and said, "Okay, Moony. I promise I'll try to be careful. Believe me, I don't feel like splitting my skull open again. It wasn't fun, but if I hadn't attacked Quirrell, he might have killed Harry."

"I know, but - wait a minute, what do you mean, you attacked Quirrell?"

"Oh, er," Devyn said, mentally slapping herself for letting that slip. "Well, you know, I jumped on him and tried to get him off Harry. He threw me off, with magic, and I hit the opposite wall."

"Oh, well...try not to attack anyone this year, okay, cub?"

"Alright, but it's so much fun..." Devyn said, sarcasm heavy in her voice. Moony chuckled and ruffled her hair again.

"Come on, let's finish up and go home. We only have a couple days left to get you ready for school," Moony said. Devyn nodded and said, "Sounds good to me."

As they finished up, Devyn kept smacking herself mentally. Moony almost found out about Snow. Devyn didn't think that Moony would be angry about the transformation, per se, but she didn't know how he would react to the fact that her Animagus was a wolf. Would he be happy and proud? Or would he be angry, and upset?

Eventually, Moony would find out, because Devyn would tell him, but she really wasn't looking forward to that day.


	4. Chapter 4

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS**

**Chapter 4**

Devyn, Moony, Neville, Harry, and the Weasleys were all running as fast as they could, trying to get to the barrier to Platform 9 ¾.

"10: 58, come on, come on!" Mr. Weasley said to them all. Devyn was trying very hard to keep her running speed to that of a normal human, because she could feel Snow threatening to burst out, hovering just below the surface.

_Snow, please, just don't come out!_

_**I'm not trying to, Dev! You haven't learned complete control yet! **_Snow replied. Devyn swallowed and pushed all thoughts of Snow aside.

"The train will be leaving any moment!" Mrs. Weasley said, herding her children along. Mr. Weasley had Ginny by the hand, and instinctively, Devyn grabbed Neville's hand, making sure she didn't lose him in the commotion. Mrs. Longbottom had allowed Moony to take Neville to King's Cross and get him on the train.

Apparently, Mrs. Longbottom had some very important errands to run that clashed with Neville's getting on the Hogwarts Express. So, Moony offered to take him and Mrs. Longbottom accepted gratefully.

They finally reached the barrier and Mr. Weasley said, "Fred, George, Percy, you first!" Fred, George, and Percy ran through the barrier with their trolleys. Mr. Weasley waved Devyn and Neville forward and after saying a quick goodbye and 'I love you, see you soon' to Moony, who had to get back to his job in Muggle London, Devyn ran forward and Neville trailed closely behind her.

They reached the other side and started forward towards the train. Devyn's sensitive hearing allowed her to hear Mr. and Mrs. Weasley telling Ginny that they would find her a seat. Devyn and Neville handed their luggage to the man near the train, who then loaded it onto the train.

"Where are Harry and Ron?" Devyn asked. Neville shrugged and said, "I don't know. Maybe we just missed them. Let's go, the train's gonna leave!"

"Okay," Devyn said. She and Neville boarded the train and quickly found Hermione, sitting alone in one of the compartments.

"Hey Hermione," Devyn said, flopping onto a seat. Hermione smiled at the two of them when they came in but frowned when she noticed that Harry and Ron weren't with them.

"Where are Harry and Ron?" she asked.

"We don't know. They were right with us at the barrier, but we went through first."

Just then, the train lurched forward and Devyn settled into her seat, getting comfortable for the long ride to Hogwarts. Well, she got as comfortable as she could, worrying about Harry and Ron like she was.

* * *

"Where are they?!" Devyn shouted. She was quite frustrated now and beyond worried out of her mind. All through the ride to Hogwarts, Devyn kept glancing at the door to their compartment, hoping she would see the messy black hair or the bright red hair that would mean Harry and Ron were there – but no such luck.

The two were nowhere to be seen.

"They probably just went to another compartment or something," Neville said. Devyn shrugged and said, "Maybe, I suppose." But even as she was saying it, she knew it wasn't true.

But then she was distracted when she heard a familiar voice call, "Firs' years over here! Firs' years this way!"

Devyn, Hermione, and Neville all grinned, but they knew they couldn't go and see Hagrid at the moment. He was busy with the first years and they needed to get into a horseless carriage that would take them up to the school.

"Come on," Devyn said. Hermione and Neville followed her to one of the carriages, which she opened and found Lavender and Parvati already inside.

"Oh, hi, Devyn! Hi, Hermione, hi, Neville!" Lavender said, although 'squealed' might have been a more appropriate term. Lavender was perfectly nice, but she was just too bloody happy. Being that happy could not be considered natural.

"Hi, Lavender," Devyn said, forcing a smile onto her face and hoping that it looked genuine. "Do you mind -?"

"Oh, not at all! Come on!" Lavender told them. Devyn, Hermione, and Neville climbed aboard and shut the door. Devyn sat next to Neville, who was seated next to Lavender, leaving Hermione to sit next to Parvati.

"Excited for a new year?" Parvati asked them. Devyn nodded and Hermione said, "Oh, yes. I can't wait to see who our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is!"

"I know! And whoever it is, assigned us the Lockhart books! I like them already!" Lavender giggled. Neville and Devyn shared a look and rolled their eyes.

Parvati noticed this and she leaned forward. "Don't worry, you're not alone. I don't understand the obsession with Lockhart either."

Devyn smiled but was unable to reply because Hermione said, "Wouldn't it be something if it was Lockhart himself that was teaching us?!"

Lavender sighed and nodded. Devyn snorted and said, "Look, we all know Dumbledore's off his rocker, but even he wouldn't be daft enough to hire Lockhart!"

Lavender and Hermione looked offended and Neville and Parvati laughed. "Whatever do you mean?" Lavender said. Hermione jumped in and said, "Devyn is under the impression that Lockhart is a fraud."

"Hermione, I'm not _under the impression_ of anything. I **know** he's a fraud."

"And how do you know **that**?" Lavender asked snootily. Devyn smirked and said, "Well, think about it, Lavender…Lockhart says, in his books, that he's taken on Banshees, Yetis, Trolls, Hags, Vampires, and my personal favorite, Werewolves. Now, do you really think that he could face all those creatures, and get away without being mangled? Especially with werewolves! There is no way he could take on multiple werewolves and get away in one piece. I'm not even sorry, there isn't." Devyn was almost getting sick of repeating her theory over and over.

"Yes, he could! He's an accomplished wizard, and he's really powerful!" Lavender defended. Devyn rolled her eyes and said, "He's a fame hog."

Lavender pouted and said, "You're only jealous of him!"

"Why would I be jealous? What does he have that could possibly make me jealous?" Devyn asked. Neville looked intrigued to hear the answer.

"He's smarter than you! He was in Ravenclaw. Everyone knows that Ravenclaws are smart!"

Neville laughed and said, "That rule applies to _most _Ravenclaws, Lavender."

"What do you mean?" Lavender asked.

Devyn had told Neville what Moony told her about Lockhart when he was at school, and he had gotten a kick out of it.

"Lavender, my godfather went to school with Lockhart. He was an idiot. Barely passed his classes at all. Couldn't do even the simplest spells," Devyn said. Lavender seemingly couldn't come up with a reply, so she settled for sitting back and pouting. Parvati was trying very hard not to smile, but she lost that battle.

Luckily, there was no time left to debate Lockhart because they reached Hogwarts and were led inside by Professor McGonagall before she went to get the first years from Hagrid, who at this moment were sailing across the Black Lake in those tiny boats.

Hermione, Devyn and Neville took their seats at the Gryffindor table near Fred and George. Devyn scanned the Head Table and saw the pleasantly familiar faces of Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick (who gave a little wave when he caught her eye), and Professor Dumbledore, who nodded slightly in her direction. And then she saw the unpleasantly familiar face of Professor Snape, the Potions Master.

"Oh my god," Hermione said. Devyn followed her line of sight, which was also directed at the Head Table and when she realized what Hermione was talking about, she nearly burst out into tears. Sitting where the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher would sit was none other than Gilderoy Lockhart.


	5. Chapter 5

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 5**

"Oh, no, not him. Why did it have to be him?!" Neville moaned when he too saw Lockhart. Hermione scowled at him but Fred looked around and said, "Yeah, I hear you, Neville. Hey, you three haven't seen Ron, have you? And where's Harry?"

"We don't know. They never showed up on the train and we didn't see them when we got off, either," Devyn said.

George frowned but they couldn't talk any longer because the doors opened and in walked McGonagall and the group of the very terrified and small first years. Devyn spotted Ginny immediately because of her bright red hair and smiled at her, although she may have been smiling at a brick wall - Ginny didn't see her.

McGonagall stepped up and explained how the Sorting would go to the first years. And then she started calling names.

A boy named Colin Creevey became the first new Gryffindor and a girl named Luna Lovegood went to Ravenclaw. Devyn sort of stopped paying attention until she heard the name 'Ginny Weasley' called. Devyn snapped out of her reverie and looked to where small Ginny Weasley stepped up to the stool, put on the Sorting Hat, and waited.

Within five seconds, just as it had done for Ron, the Sorting Hat said, "Ah, another Weasley, but a female this time! The first in many a year! I know just where to put you – GRYFFINDOR!"

Fred, George, Percy, Neville, Devyn, and Hermione stood up and cheered for Ginny. When the beaming redhead reached the table, she sat down next to Hermione and Devyn leaned forward and said, "Congratulations, Ginny."

"Thanks," she replied. Before too long, Dumbledore stood up and made a speech before the Feast commenced. The speech was a lot like last year's – stay out of the Dark Forest, don't bring illegal items back from Hogsmeade, Quidditch tryouts…

And then, thankfully, the amazing food came into existence in front of them and they all dug in. Ginny looked awed and Devyn smiled at her. "I know. It's incredible, isn't it?"

"Yeah...I mean, my brothers always told me how amazing the feasts were, but it's entirely different when you're experiencing it yourself."

Devyn nodded and Ginny looked around. "Speaking of my brothers, where's Ron? And Harry?" Ginny blushed when she said Harry's name and Devyn grinned. It was painfully obvious that Ginny fancied her raven-haired friend, but Devyn didn't say anything. After all, Harry was the 'Boy-Who-Lived'. He was pretty much legend in the Wizarding World - Devyn was sure that many a girl in the Wizarding World fancied The Boy Who Lived. But that was the thing - they fancied The Boy Who Lived, the legend, not Harry, the person.

"Oh, er..." Devyn started. She didn't want to worry Ginny, but the girl deserved the truth. "Honestly, Ginny, I don't know. They were right behind us at Platform 9 3/4, but I don't know what happened to them after that. I never saw them on the train...but I'm sure they're fine. Don't worry Ginny, they'll show up."

Ginny didn't really look reassured, but she smiled a little anyway. Luckily, a distraction came in the form of Devyn's favorite ghost -"Hello, Sir Nicholas!" Devyn said. Nick's appearance scared the hell out of Ginny, but for Devyn, his presence lessened her anxiety and helped her stop worrying about Harry and Ron.

Nick smiled widely at Devyn and said, "Good evening, Devyn. It's good to see you again. I trust you had a good summer?"

"Oh, yes, thank you. It's really good to see you again, too, Sir Nicholas. How was your summer?"

Nick frowned and said, "Well, once again, my request to join the Headless Hunt has been denied."

Devyn half-smiled and said, "You know what, Sir Nicholas? They don't deserve you. Who needs them? You're better than headless. You're nearly headless. Plenty of people can say they've been beheaded and they're a headless ghost now, and all that - but only one person, only one ghost can say they're _nearly_ headless. In my opinion, you're worth ten times those ghosts in the Headless Hunt."

Throughout her little speech Nick started looking a little happier. He smiled at Devyn, looking like if he could have, he would have cried, or hugged her. "Thank you, Devyn, really," Nick said. Devyn nodded and said, "You're welcome, Sir Nicholas."

Nick nodded and looked around at the people he was surrounded by. He inclined his head at Neville, who grinned at him. Hermione smiled happily when Nick acknowledged her before he floated off to greet some of the older students. Devyn turned back to her food but noticed that Ginny was looking at her, her eyes wide as saucers.

"Are you okay, Ginny?" Devyn asked. Ginny blinked and said, "You...you're on speaking terms with Nearly Headless Nick?"

Devyn nodded and said, "Yeah. Why?"

"Not even Fred and George are friends with Nearly Headless Nick..."

"Pretty much every Gryffindor is on good terms with Nick, if not every student in the school. He's really friendly."

"Yeah, but you seem to be friends with him."

"Well, we are friends. Or at least, I like to think so. Don't worry, Ginny, you'll be on speaking terms with him soon enough."

Ginny shrugged and went back to her food. The rest of the feast went on without much event. Nick came by again a few times and Ginny talked to him a couple times. Suddenly, though, Devyn was distracted by a very excited voice saying, "Oh, wow, you're Devyn Murphy! I read about you in a couple books! Wow, it's so good to meet you!"

Devyn's hand was being shaken before she even knew how to respond. "I'm Colin Creevey. Wow, it's ever so neat to meet you. I thought you were dead, you know, everyone did, but here you are. I heard you're friends with Harry Potter! I read about him too, do you know where he is?"

Devyn finally registered the small blonde boy in front of her and said, "Uh, hold on, kid, er, Colin. Hold it for a second. Okay...it's nice to meet you as well. Yes, I'm friends with Harry. And no, I don't know where he is."

Colin looked slightly disappointed that Harry wasn't about, but shrugged and said, "Well, anyway, it's nice to meet you. Maybe I'll catch Harry tomorrow. Maybe I can even get a picture!" Colin walked away, talking to himself and Devyn was very confused.

"What the _hell_ just happened?" she asked Neville. Neville shrugged and said, "I've got no clue."

Devyn shook her head and said, "I'm too bloody tired to think about it now."

* * *

Luckily, not long after Devyn's encounter with Colin Creevey, Dumbledore dismissed them all and the Gryffindors trudged up the never ending stairs to Gryffindor Tower.

"Ugh, I don't wanna climb any more stairs. Neville, just drag me up, will you?" Devyn said. Neville grinned at her and said, "Come on." He grabbed her hand and pulled her along. Devyn chuckled and went along with it.

Finally, they reached Gryffindor Tower and Percy said, "The new password's Fortis Leo."

The Fat Lady portrait nodded and swung open. All the Gryffindors rushed in and Devyn shuffled over to one of the plushy red chairs that sat by the fire.

"Aren't you going to bed?" Neville asked, walking over to her. Devyn yawned and shook her head. "No," she said. "I'm gonna stay up to wait for Harry and Ron."

Neville nodded and said, "All right, well, night, Dev." Devyn nodded and said, "Night, Nev."

Devyn sat in her chair and waited. Finally, although it was really only about twenty minutes, Harry and Ron walked through the portrait hole.

"Where have you two been?!" Devyn hissed. She immediately jumped up when she saw them and Ron nearly fell over, he was so startled.

"Bloody hell, Devyn, don't do that!" Ron said. Devyn rolled her eyes and said, "So, where were you?"

"It's a long story," Harry said. Devyn put her hands on her hips and said, "I have time."

"Fine, all right, look, the barrier to Platform 9 3/4 sealed up on us for some reason, so we had to get to school somehow."

"What are you talking about?" Devyn said, moving past the fact that the barrier sealed up on them. Ron shuffled his feet and mumbled, "WeflewDad'sflyingcarherebutwecrashedin totheWhompingWillow."

"_What_? I didn't catch that, what did you say?"

Ron took a deep breath and said, "We flew Dad's flying car here, but we crashed into the Whomping Willow. You know, that big ugly tree on the school grounds?"

Devyn nodded and said, "Okay. That's kind of awesome."

"Not really, Ron broke his wand," Harry told her.

"Well, at least it's his wand and not his neck," Devyn said.

"That's what I said," Harry replied.

"You're taking this very well. I thought you'd be beating us senseless for being so stupid," Ron said. Devyn shrugged and said, "I would be, if I wasn't so exhausted. I'm going to bed. Night."

And with that, Devyn left two very confused boys in her wake as she walked up the stairs to the second year girl's dormitories. The second she hit her bed, she passed out.


	6. Chapter 6

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 6**

The next morning, classes began. Devyn only hoped she wouldn't have to deal with Lockhart first thing in the morning. She still couldn't believe that Dumbledore hired that moron.

_Then again, after Quirrell_, Devyn thought, _maybe no one else wanted the job. And I suppose I'd rather have an idiot for a teacher, than a psychopath with Voldemort sticking out of the back of his head._

When Devyn and Hermione got downstairs, Hermione gasped when she saw Harry and Ron. "Where were you two last night?! We were so worried!"

Ron rubbed the back of his neck and said, "We sort of got sealed out of the platform and Harry and I flew my dad's car here."

"You _flew_ a _car_?" Neville said. Harry nodded and Neville grinned. "Wicked."

"Yeah."

"It most definitely is not!" Hermione hissed. "You could have been hurt - you could have been seen by Muggles! Devyn, back me up on this!"

Hermione whirled around to face her when Devyn didn't automatically respond. When Hermione glared at her, Devyn shrugged and said, "There's no point in scolding them for it. It's done and they're fine. Ron's wand, on the other hand...I reckon you two got detention from whatever teacher found you?"

"Well, yeah. See, Filch found us when we were walking up the stairs. He took us to Snape, and then Dumbledore and McGonagall showed up. McGonagall gave us detention and said she would be writing to our families," Harry said. He shrugged but Ron looked horrified.

"Oh no, I'd forgotten! My mother is gonna kill me!"

"Well," Hermione said, scowling. "You should have thought of that before you flew that car here. You're lucky you weren't killed!"

"Well, we almost were," Ron said, clearly not thinking. Hermione's eyes bugged out and she said, "_**What?!**_"

"Nice, Ron," Harry moaned. Ron shrugged and said, "Sorry...but, yeah, we were almost killed by a tree."

"A tree? You mean, the Whomping Willow? The Whomping Willow almost killed you?" Hermione questioned.

"Yeah," Ron replied. "But we're fine."

"But, still -"

"Oh, Hermione, just drop it! They're fine. They're here, aren't they? Just leave it be. Now let's go down to breakfast."

"Sounds good to me," Ron said. Neville nodded and he and Devyn started for the portrait hole. Harry, Hermione, and Ron followed and Harry said, as they descended the staircase, "Oh, yeah, I almost forgot... who's the new Defense teacher?"

Devyn simply laughed when Hermione lit up like a Christmas tree. "Oh, you'll never believe it, Harry. It's Gilderoy Lockhart!"

Hermione clearly thought that she was giving them some sort of good surprise, when actually, it was a nasty shock.

"Lockhart - that idiot from Flourish and Blotts?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded and Ron looked like he was going to cry.

"**NOOOOOOOO!**" Ron howled. Devyn and Neville cracked up, and Harry looked startled at his friend's outburst. Hermione, on the other hand, looked upset and disapproving at the same time.

"Oh, why won't you just give him a chance?" Hermione cried. "He might be a really good teacher..."

"Hermione, the day that Ron cuddles a tarantula, that's when Lockhart will be a good teacher."

Harry and Neville nearly fell over laughing, but both Hermione and Ron looked upset, though for very different reasons.

"Why'd you have to bring up the spiders?" Ron asked, shuddering.

"Sorry, Ron. I forgot..." Devyn said, trying to apologize. Ron nodded and said, "Its fine. Don't make a habit of it, though."

Devyn had actually forgotten that Ron was afraid of spiders. She didn't really blame him - spiders were freaky. Nothing was meant to have eight eyes, eight legs, and spin silk from its butt. That just wasn't natural.

Soon after that, the five of them made it to the Great Hall and started eating breakfast. As usual, Devyn went for the bacon and wolfed it down. And, as usual, Hermione stared at her.

"Mione," Devyn said, around a mouthful of bacon. "We went over this last year. I like bacon."

"Yes, I know, Devyn, but you don't have to inhale it like it's going to disappear."

"You don't know that, Hermione. It could all disappear right now, and then how would you feel?" Devyn reprimanded her, brandishing a strip of bacon at her. Neville laughed and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Eat your bacon," Hermione said. Devyn grinned and continued eating her lovely bacon. "Yes, thank you, I will," Devyn quipped.

Ron and Harry laughed, but their mirth died when they noticed McGonagall going down the rows of tables, handing out schedules. Hermione almost started bouncing in her seat when she noticed this.

"Hermione, take it easy, will you? I know you're excited, but calm yourself," Devyn said, looking up at her friend from her bacon. Hermione looked sheepish and tried to contain herself. Both Devyn and Neville smiled at each other. It was just like Hermione to get excited over her schedule.

McGonagall finally made it to their table and handed out the five schedules. McGonagall smiled at Devyn, who said, "Hello, Professor McGonagall."

"Hello, Miss Murphy. Did you have a good summer?"

"Yes, thank you. How was yours?" Devyn asked.

"Oh, it was nice. Uneventful, but nice," McGonagall answered. Devyn nodded and McGonagall continued handing out schedules.

"Brilliant, we have Herbology first," Neville said. Devyn smiled at her best friend. Herbology was his best subject by far. Devyn was just glad it wasn't Lockhart they had first. Sprout, she could handle easily. But Lockhart...well, she wasn't worried about him, but she was afraid that she might blow up at him if he was too stupid.

* * *

"Morning, everyone!" Sprout called as she walked into Greenhouse Three. No one answered her, so she said, "Good morning, everyone!"

That time everyone stopped chattering and said, "Good morning, Professor Sprout!"

Sprout stood and looked around at them all. "Welcome to Greenhouse Three, second years! Now, gather around, everyone." They all did as Sprout requested and Sprout said, "Today, we are going to repot Mandrakes." Sprout turned around and grabbed a large pot from the table behind her. There was a small green leaf stalk sticking out of it. "Who here can tell me the properties of the Mandrake root?" she asked.

To no one's surprise, Hermione's hand was the first one up. "Yes, Miss Granger?" Sprout said.

"Mandrake, or _Mandragora, _is used to return those who have been Petrified to their original state. It's also quite dangerous. The Mandrake's cry is fatal to anyone who hears it."

Devyn smiled when Professor Sprout said, "Excellent, ten points to Gryffindor!" Harry and Ron smiled at each other and then at Neville. Devyn looked around and caught a glance at Malfoy's face – he wasn't thrilled. In fact, he was glaring at Harry and Ron. Devyn just laughed silently.

Neville, who was beside her, whispered, "What?"

Devyn shook her head and said, "Malfoy."

Neville looked at their Slytherin nemesis and silently laughed too. He shook his head and they turned their attention back to Sprout just as she said, "Now, as their seedlings, their cries won't kill you yet, but they could knock you out for several hours, which is why I've given each of you a pair of earmuffs, for auditory protection. So, could you please put them on, right away?"

Devyn nodded to herself and picked up the black earmuffs that were in front of her. She put them over her ears and made sure that the flaps were secured tightly over her ears. She really didn't want to pass out and miss this lesson – she had a feeling it would be a good one.

"Quickly, flaps tight down," Sprout said. "And watch me closely. You grasp your Mandrake firmly," she gripped the Mandrake around the middle of the stalk, "you pull it sharp right out of the pot…"

When she did this, the Mandrake started screaming and everyone clamped their hands over their muffed ears. They were only babies, so they couldn't really hurt anyone yet, but they were very odd looking creatures, Devyn decided. The one Sprout was holding was chubby, like a baby would be. It was ugly, but that was to be expected. Devyn reasoned that the Mandrake was not supposed to be cute; its cries could kill a person. Things like that were not generally cute. _Although, _Devyn thought. _Look at koalas, and Tasmanian devils. They're adorable until they go postal and try to eat your face. _

She shook her head to clear it and paid attention to what Sprout was saying. "Got it, and now dunk it down into the other pot and," she was saying this while trying to make herself heard over the Mandrake's screams, which were getting louder and louder by the second. "Pour a sprinkling of soil to keep him warm."

Not two seconds after Sprout said this, the Mandrake's screams reached an all new level of volume and Neville groaned beside her. Devyn looked around and was about ask him what was wrong, when he fainted dead away.

"Neville!" Devyn gasped and knelt down beside him. She tried to wake him up and Sprout sighed, "Longbottom's been neglecting his earmuffs."

Seamus looked down at Neville and said, "No ma'am, he's just fainted."

"Yes well, just leave him there," Sprout said. All the Slytherins in the room were smirking uncontrollably, and Devyn wanted nothing more than to wolf out on all of them for daring to laugh at her Neville. Devyn blinked in surprise at herself. She shook her head and thought, _I have to control it. I can't just go mental on some Slytherins because they're being mean. And since when is Neville __**mine**__? Yes, he's my best friend and I love him, but I don't own him or anything. What is going on?_

Devyn came out of her thoughts and noticed that Neville was still out. He wasn't in any immediate danger, and he probably wasn't going to be waking up any time soon, so Devyn stood back up and went back to work with the Mandrakes.

"Right, on we go," Sprout said. "Plenty of pots to go around." Devyn took a pot when it came to her and Sprout said, "Grasp your Mandrake and pull it up."

Harry and Ron made faces as though they were steeling themselves for something extremely unpleasant, and Devyn couldn't really blame them. The Mandrakes were far from pleasant. Devyn gripped her Mandrake and pulled it out, as did everyone else.

Greenhouse Three was soon filled with the high-pitched screaming and crying of the Mandrakes. Devyn put her Mandrake in the other pot and poured the soil in as quickly as she could. Thankfully, her Mandrake stopped squealing and her enhanced hearing, though muffled a little by the earmuffs, was given a break. Devyn found she was able to tune out the rest of the Mandrakes' cries until everything was absolutely silent, like the morning after a snowfall.

_What's going on? Why is everything silent? _Devyn thought. She was very confused and didn't know why this was happening.

The voice she knew to be Snow's sounded. _**Oh, don't worry, Devyn. This is just another aspect of being an Animagus. You're starting to gain some control over your senses. **_

_What do you mean?_

_**Well, the easiest way I can explain it is that your brain sensed the loud volume surrounding you, and the unease it was causing and, well, fixed it. It's a little weird, I know, but you'll get used to it. It's all a part of learning to control the Animagus part of your personality – me. Eventually, you'll be able to choose when and how much to tune out certain sounds, just like how you can run faster than a normal human could when you need to, or how you adjusted your vision that night when you reached McGonagall's chess set. You did all that on instinct; eventually you'll be able to choose to do it.**_

_Why can't I control it now? I mean, just a couple minutes ago, I wanted to attack Malfoy and his cronies for laughing at Neville. I can't let things like that happen. I need to control it._

_**You did. You didn't attack them, did you? **_

_No, but why can't I control it now? And why was I so angry at them for laughing at Neville? He's my best friend and I'm protective of him, but…_

_**My best guess is that you've subconsciously made Neville a part of your pack. Basically, your pack is the people you're closest to. So, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Moony are all a part of your pack. They fall under the protection of your Animagus – me. That's why, when Neville was being laughed at by a known enemy, your animalistic instincts took over and told you to defend that member of your pack. Luckily, you fought those instincts, but they can and will come out again.**_

_Oh. Okay, I guess I understand now. But why can't I control it all __now__?_

_**Oh, Devyn, that's simple. You're still young. You just haven't…learned? No, that's not it…you haven't developed that level of control yet. You will, don't worry. In the meantime, just keeping fighting the instincts when you need to, and you'll be fine.**_

_Okay. This is actually pretty cool. And those Mandrakes were obnoxiously loud. _

Coming out of her inner dialogue with Snow, Devyn looked around at the people surrounding her. Dean Thomas was looking at his Mandrake apprehensively before putting into the other pot. Seamus kept glancing at Devyn every so often, like he was trying to get her attention. It was more than a little weird in Devyn's mind. It was just like that time when Seamus was trying to turn water to rum and it blew up in his face. He had kept looking at her then, too, almost to see if she was watching him. Hermione, although she looked fascinated, also looked repulsed by the very vocal vegetation. Devyn smirked and laughed when Malfoy started tickling his Mandrake like it was an adorable infant, which led to his getting bitten by the Mandrake. It had a rather firm grip on his gloved finger and Malfoy really strained to yank it out of the plant's mouth. When he did, he glared at his Mandrake and shoved it roughly into the other pot.

* * *

Soon after, Herbology class ended and Devyn finally managed to bring Neville around. It was just her and Neville left. She had told Hermione, Ron, and Harry to go on without her. She didn't think Neville would want to wake up to a bunch of people staring at him after he fainted.

"Ugh…" Neville groaned as he came around. He looked up at Devyn, who smiled. "Hey, Neville. Welcome back to the Land of the Conscious and Certifiably Insane. Did you have a nice nap?"

"Ugh…what happened?" Neville asked, sitting up and rubbing his head.

"You passed out when the Mandrake screamed really loudly."

Neville turned beet red and said, "I did? Oh, brilliant. Just…brilliant." He looked around and noticed that they were the only two in the Greenhouse. "Where is everyone?"

"They left. I told Hermione, Ron, and Harry to go on, and everybody else left. Are you okay? Feeling alright?"

Neville nodded and stood up, still bright red. "I'm fine," he muttered. "Just embarrassed."

Devyn looked around at Neville and said, "Why? I mean, I know why you might be embarrassed, but why are you? No one cared that you fainted, beyond worrying about you and hoping that you were alright. And anyone who did care isn't worth your time anyway."

As they left the Greenhouse and started walking back up to the castle, Neville shrugged and muttered something. Devyn couldn't quite hear it because she was trying to tune her hearing back to normal and accidentally made it so that she could only hear high frequencies. She saw Neville's mouth move, but she couldn't hear what he had said.

When she fixed it, she muttered, "Feels like I have a bloody hearing aide."

"Now," she said, speaking at a normal volume, "what did you say just now?"

Neville looked up at her and said, "Nothing. It doesn't matter anyway." Neville turned a weird pink color again and Devyn raised an eyebrow but let it go. If he didn't want to tell her what he said, that was fine. If it was something really important, he'd tell her. Of that, Devyn was sure.

* * *

The rest of the day passed without incidence, and luckily, they didn't have Lockhart until the next day. Unfortunately, the next day came far too soon for Devyn.

The next morning at breakfast, the day started off with a bang. It was just a normal breakfast for the most part – Devyn was wolfing the bacon down, Hermione was looking at her like she had fourteen extra heads. Ron was busy trying to fix his busted wand with Spellotape, and he was failing spectacularly.

He held up his wand for them to see and said, "Ugh, say it. I'm doomed."

Harry obliged and said, "You're doomed." Neville and Devyn chuckled and Hermione stared to say, "Well, if you hadn't –"

"Don't start Hermione," Devyn said. Hermione pouted but remained quiet.

That's when things started to get weird, even more so than usual. "Hi Harry!" an excited voice said. Before Harry could even respond, a camera flashed and nearly blinded the five of them. "Hi, Colin," Devyn said. She didn't even need to turn around. Who else would blind them with a camera?

Harry blinked as Colin Creevey, the boy with the camera, said, "I'm Colin Creevey. I'm in Gryffindor, too," as though this explained everything.

Recovering quite nicely, Harry said, "Oh. Hi, Colin, nice to meet you."

Devyn wanted to be nice to Colin, really she did, but she found it very hard to do when he persisted in making her see spots every time he wanted to take a picture. Luckily, Colin couldn't really say anything else because a very loud screech was heard from above.

This normally wouldn't have been weird, except for the fact that the owl post had already come and the fact that there was only one owl, one that looked suspiciously like…Errol.

"Ron," Dean Thomas said, looking up. "Is that your owl?"

It _was _Errol, because no other owl could have come soaring down all gracefully, flying just inches above the table and then crashed into a bowl of crackers right in front of Ron. Colin snapped a picture and the Slytherins started laughing amongst themselves.

Ron shook his head and said, "Bloody bird's a menace." He reached for the letter and after he got it, Errol ruffled his feathers and flew off. No one paid attention to the bird because Ron's sudden expression of horror caught their attention.

"Oh no," Ron whimpered as he looked at the red envelope. Devyn couldn't imagine what was wrong…

"Look everyone," Seamus said, looking around at everyone. He was smirking and then glanced at Devyn once again before saying, "Weasley's got himself a Howler."

Everyone started laughing and Devyn suddenly understood. Howlers were another form of a letter, and they were usually used to humiliate people because whatever was written on them, they screamed out in the writer's voice, only the volume was magnified a hundred times, and if they weren't opened right away, they exploded and did it anyway. Moony told her about them, describing how one of his classmates once got one from his mother for being placed in Gryffindor.

Devyn didn't know which classmate he was talking about, but he looked vaguely upset when he mentioned this person, so Devyn had a feeling it might have been Sirius Black. The last thing Devyn wanted to do was bring up bad memories, so she didn't voice her suspicions – instead, she kept them to herself.

Bringing herself back to the present, Devyn looked around at Seamus and said, "Shut up, Seamus. No one asked you for your input."

Seamus adopted a surly expression and settled for just waiting for Ron to open it.

"Go on, Ron," Neville said. "I ignored one from my Gran once. It was horrible."

Devyn raised an eyebrow, wondering what Neville could have done to deserve getting a Howler, but her thoughts were drowned out when Ron opened the letter and Mrs. Weasley's voice rang out, as loud as though she were speaking with a megaphone.

"**RONALD WEASLEY!**" it screamed. Ron dropped it onto the table and it continued, floating up in the air, "**HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR! I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! YOUR FATHER IS NOW FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK AND **_**IT IS ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT! **_**IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU **_**STRAIGHT HOME!**_"

Devyn gaped at the letter, not knowing Mrs. Weasley had such a set of pipes on her. Luckily, it seemed that it was done shouting because Ron looked like he had just soiled himself. He nodded, terrified beyond words, and the Howler turned to Ginny.

"Oh, and Ginny, dear, congratulations on making Gryffindor. Your father and I are so proud!"

Ginny looked as though she would very much like to disappear into the floor and the Howler turned back to Ron. It blew a loud raspberry at him before shredding itself into tiny pieces.

A lot of muttering broke out and Devyn said, "Well, that was lovely."

Neville nodded in agreement and Devyn said, "Never knew your mum had such a set of lungs like that on her, Ron."

Ron nodded blankly and said nothing more for the remainder of breakfast. There was nothing much left to say and Devyn was dreading the first class they had.

Why, do you ask? One simple reason – it was Lockhart's first class. And if there was one person, besides Malfoy and his cronies, that Devyn couldn't stand, it was Gilderoy Lockhart.


	7. Chapter 7

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 7**

"Can we just get this over with, please?"

Devyn was sitting in the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom, next to Neville, waiting for their 'teacher' to show up. Neville nodded and said, "I know, Devyn, I know. I'm not looking forward to this anymore than you are. No one is."

That, Devyn felt, was an untrue statement, at least where the girls were concerned, with the exception of Devyn and Parvati Patil. Devyn, Parvati, and the entirety of the boys were looking annoyed and disinterested.

The girls (with the exception of Devyn and Parvati) were twittering away, waiting for their blonde haired pretty boy professor to show his face. Devyn turned to look at Neville, who was looking around at everyone else. He looked at Devyn and shrugged. "Well, at least the boys and Parvati aren't looking forward to it."

Devyn nodded and said, "You're only saying that to make me feel better…"

Neville nodded and said, "Is it working?"

"…kinda, yeah," Devyn admitted. Neville grinned and said, "Well, then, mission accomplished."

Devyn smiled at Neville and felt this weird swooping sensation in the pit of her stomach. It unnerved her for a moment, but if it showed any on her face, Neville didn't comment. _What was that about? _Devyn thought.

Devyn could almost hear Snow laughing at her. _**That, my dear human, was due to the little crush you have on your best friend.**_

Devyn internally sighed. _I thought it would just go away…it's too weird. He's my best friend – I can't like him like that!_

_**Who says?**_

_Well, no one, I suppose…_

_**All right then, why are you complaining? Besides, have you ever seen the way he looks at you sometimes? I have a feeling he likes you, too.**_

_Well, I'm not going to do anything about it now. I'm way too young for this type of thing._

_**You're almost thirteen years old. It's gonna happen sooner or later, you know that, don't you?**_

_Yeah, but not right now!_

_**All right, all right, keep your hair on. Nothing has to happen, I'm just saying.**_

_Yeah…_

Devyn's internal dialogue with Snow was interrupted when she heard an annoying voice say, "Let me introduce you to your new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher –me."

Devyn rolled her eyes and looked at Neville, who had both eyebrows raised. _This is gonna be a disaster, I can see it already,_ Devyn thought.

"Gilderoy Lockhart!" Lockhart announced, as though his name was alone impressive. "Order of Merlin, Third Class," he continued, as he walked past one of the obnoxiously large portraits of himself that covered the walls of the classroom. "Honorary member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five times winner," he grinned up at the portrait of himself painting a portrait of himself. It was sickening. "Of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award."

Devyn tried not to burst out laughing when she caught a glimpse of Hermione and Susan Bones' faces. They were both looking dazed, as though they had been hit over the head with a heavy object. Lockhart grinned at them all, clearly trying to be charming, but, in Devyn's books, he failed spectacularly.

"But I don't talk about that," Lockhart said, leaning up against a table right in front of all the desks. "I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at it."

"You didn't get rid of it at all, you lousy fraud…" Devyn mouthed almost completely silently. Lockhart chuckled like a moron and Ron raised his eyebrows as Devyn and Neville looked at each other in disbelief. Just how stupid was this guy?

Hermione and Susan, along with the majority of the other girls, were still staring at Lockhart with a lovey-dovey expression on their faces but snapped to attention when he said, "Now! Be warned!" He moved toward a cloth covered cage that resembled an owl's cage with his wand out.

"It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to Wizard-kind." He tapped the cage with wand sharply and it started to shake and jolt around. _Well, at least there's something in there_, Devyn thought. She had doubted that the cage had anything in it.

Harry and Ron looked a little warily at the cage. And Devyn couldn't really blame them. Lockhart's extreme stupidity may have allowed him to get something extremely dangerous that he mistook for something relatively mild. Devyn only hoped it wasn't anything too harmful.

"You may find yourself facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here." Lockhart had the majority of the class, including Neville, looking concerned and a little scared, but Devyn thought she may have cracked a rib from trying to keep from laughing. This was ridiculous. Lockhart took a fistful of the cloth covering the cage and said, "I must ask you not to scream. It might PROVOKE THEM!" Lockhart whipped off the cloth to reveal small electric blue, extremely annoyed flying creatures. They had black eyes like a beetle's. They were pixies. Cornish pixies, if Devyn's knowledge served her correctly.

They were all squeaking angrily at the students and Lockhart, every one of them struggling against the bars of the cage, trying to squeeze through to freedom. Devyn felt rather bad for them, but she also knew that they could be very mischievous.

Seamus looked highly amused, as did the rest of the class, when he said, "Cornish pixies?"

"Freshly caught Cornish pixies," Lockhart elaborated. Seamus laughed and Lockhart said, "Laugh if you will, Mr. Finnigan." Everyone in the room was smiling in amusement now. Cornish pixies weren't terrifying. Annoying, yes, but they were far from terrifying. "But pixies can be devilishly tricky little blighters. Let's see what you make of them."

Lockhart suddenly opened the cage and set the pixies free. Devyn immediately grabbed a book and started smacking any pixie that dared to come near her. She whacked one away from Neville just as Lockhart said, "Come on, round them up, round them up, they're only pixies!"

Devyn had had it. "MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE TAUGHT US HOW TO DO THAT BEFORE SETTING THEM LOOSE ON US!" she shouted at Lockhart. Devyn knew he had heard her, but he ignored her regardless. She growled in frustration and smacked more pixies away.

The little blue creatures were wreaking havoc on the classroom and everyone was going insane, trying to beat them off. Neville tried crawling along the ground to hide from them, but two pixies found him and hoisted him up by the ears.

"Neville!" Devyn cried. Neville started yelling in pain and Devyn climbed on top of a desk and jumped towards the pixies holding Neville. They looked too far away for her to reach, but somehow she made the leap. Lockhart watched on in what looked like horror, or amazement as Devyn reached out with her book and smacked one of the pixies away as hard as she could. It had no choice but to let go and the other pixie almost dropped Neville, but it was no good. Another pixie flew in and grabbed Neville's only recently freed ear and the two continued to pull him up until he was hanging from a chandelier by his cloak.

"Please get me down!" Neville cried. Devyn could no longer help Neville, especially considering she fell to the ground hard after smacking the pixie away in mid-air and ended up spraining her ankle. She made her way over to Hermione, Ron, and Harry, as quickly as she could without further injuring her ankle just as a pixie latched itself onto Hermione's hair and she shrieked, "GET OFF ME!"

"No, stop, hold still!" Harry commanded and when Hermione stopped moving, Harry whacked the pixie off Hermione with a particularly heavy book. Lockhart, evidently, had seen enough because he held up his wand and said, "_Peskipiksi pesternomi!_"

Whatever spell Lockhart was trying to accomplish did not work because the pixies ignored him completely and instead stole his wand from him.

"WHAT WAS THAT GONNA DO?!" Devyn hollered at him as the pixies used the wand to bring the dragon skeleton hanging from the ceiling to the ground. "THAT WASN'T EVEN A REAL SPELL!"

Lockhart made a dash for it and after trying and failing to stop some of the pixies from dragging his portrait off, he said, "I'll ask the four of you to just nip the rest of them back into their cage." He turned around and took cover in his office.

"YOU COWARD!" Devyn shouted after him. She looked around and noticed that the four of them, and Neville, who was still hanging from the chandelier, were the only students left in the classroom. The rest of their classmates had abandoned the classroom.

"What do we do now?!" Ron yelled, frantically swiping at the pixies with the books. Yet another pixie latched onto Hermione's hair and she got distracted by it, so Devyn took charge. She stood up on her injured ankle, nearly falling over in the process, took out her wand, pointed it at the pixies and shouted, "_**IMMOBULUS!**__"_

Every single pixie in the room froze instantly and everything became peaceful once more. Neville looked around at the frozen pests before looking down at them and saying, "Why is it always me?"

* * *

After some extremely careful levitating, Devyn and Hermione managed to get Neville down from the chandelier, with no help whatsoever from their useless teacher.

"What did I tell you, Hermione? Lockhart is useless! He couldn't even stop some pixies," Devyn said. Neville, Ron, and Harry nodded in agreement, and Hermione huffed. "Those pixies were really crazy! He probably was just having a bad day."

Devyn rolled her eyes and said, "One day, Hermione, you will see the truth about Lockhart. And when you do, I will happily, joyfully say, 'I TOLD YOU SO!'."

Hermione didn't answer, but Devyn didn't expect her to. If a disaster like that class, if it could even be called that, ever happened again, she would go straight to Dumbledore, or McGonagall at least, and tell them about the catastrophe that is Lockhart and his classes. That man shouldn't be teaching.

* * *

Saturday was Harry's first Quidditch practice. Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Devyn were sitting on two stone benches on the grounds when they saw Harry, Oliver Wood, the Weasley twins, and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team walking by.

"I spent the summer devising a whole new Quidditch program," Oliver was telling the team. Devyn shook her head when she heard this. Luckily, she was getting better at controlling her hearing and when it kicked into high gear and when it turned itself down. It came in handy at night when she didn't want to hear Lavender and Parvati gush and giggle about the "cute" boys in their year or the year above them.

"We," Oliver continued, "are going to train earlier, harder, and longer." Devyn looked up and noticed the Slytherin Quidditch team walking out at the same time as the Gryffindor team. "What...? I don't believe it," Oliver muttered.

"Where do you think you're going, Flint?" Oliver asked. Devyn leaned sideways and saw the menacing looking Marcus Flint, Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team.

"Quidditch practice," Flint grunted back at Oliver. Devyn frowned; that couldn't be right. Wood booked the pitch for Gryffindor; she heard him telling the team last night in the common room.

"I booked the pitch for Gryffindor today," Wood told Flint. Flint just sort of smirked and said, "Easy, Wood, I've got a note."

Just then, Ron and Hermione looked up and noticed Neville and Devyn watching the two teams interact. "Uh oh," Ron said. "I smell trouble."

Devyn, for one, felt Ron was right. She and Ron stood up and walked over to the two teams, Hermione and Neville close behind them. Flint was holding up the note and Wood took it from him. Wood unrolled it and read aloud, "'I, Professor Severus Snape, do hereby give the Slytherin team permission to practice today, owing to the need to train their new Seeker.' You've got a new Seeker. Who?"

Flint and one of the other chasers stepped aside and none other than the blonde menace himself, Draco Malfoy, stepped forward, clad in green Quidditch robes and clutching a broom.

"Malfoy?" Harry asked in disbelief. Devyn couldn't believe it either. She remembered Malfoy's flying skills from last year with the Remembrall incident, but there was no way that he was nearly as good as Harry. No bloody way.

Malfoy was smirking again and Devyn felt her fingers twitch. She tried desperately to control her desire to smack the smirk off his arrogant face. _Breathe, Devyn, breathe._

"That's right," Malfoy said, entirely too smug about it. "And that's not all that's new this year." Malfoy moved his broom and they all looked down at it. The entire Slytherin team were holding brooms just like. Despite her hatred for Malfoy, she had to admit, they were very nice brooms.

"Those are Nimbus Two Thousand and One's!" Ron exclaimed. "How did you get those?"

Flint looked at Ron and said, "A gift from Draco's father."

_That explains it. Lucius Malfoy bribed someone with the prospect of new brooms for the entire team if they put Draco on the team. That's sickening_, Devyn thought.

"You see, Weasley," Malfoy said. "Unlike some, my father can afford **the best**."

Devyn rolled her eyes and bit her tongue, trying to control the overwhelming urge to beat the little rat to a bloody pulp. However, she didn't really need to control anything because Hermione said it all for her. "At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They got in on pure talent."

Malfoy sneered at her and said, "No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood!"

Devyn had had it. The word was easy enough to decipher and the meaning was not lost on her and she exploded. "**THAT IS IT, MALFOY! YOU'RE DEAD!**"

She leaped on Malfoy and started pummeling him as hard as she could. Devyn was sure that whatever happened this day, Malfoy would regret the day he ever insulted Hermione Granger. For a few seconds, everyone stood still, watching Devyn's fists come in contact with Malfoy's face over and over again. His nose was bleeding and when he finally yelled, "**GET HER OFF ME!**", Flint moved forward and grabbed her by the collar and dragged her off Malfoy.

Devyn whirled around and snarled at Flint ferociously, causing the older boy to back off at once. "She's mental!" he yelled.

Malfoy stood up and faced all the irate Gryffindors. Ron stepped forward and said, "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" He pulled out his wand, probably without thinking, considering it was broken, and exclaimed, "EAT SLUGS!"

Instead of hitting Malfoy, Ron's jinx came back at him and he was lifted off his feet. His back hit the ground and he sat up at once. The Slytherins laughed while the Gryffindor team, Devyn, Hermione, and Neville gathered around Ron. His face was paler than Devyn had thought was possible.

"You okay, Ron?" Hermione asked frantically. "Say something!"

Ron turned his back to them and threw up a slimy slug. Devyn winced, disgusted and Neville looked away all together. The Gryffindors all made sounds of revulsion but Colin (who knew when he got there) said, holding his ever-present camera, "Wow! Can you turn him around, Harry?"

Devyn and Harry each grabbed one of Ron's elbows and hauled him up. Devyn looked at Colin and said, "No, Colin, get out of the way!"

Colin moved and Harry said, "Let's take him to Hagrid's." Ron upchucked another slug and Devyn said, "Yeah, he'll know what to do."

They pushed past the laughing Slytherins, the camera-flashing Colin, and the rest of the Gryffindors and took Ron to Hagrid's immediately. Neville and Hermione followed behind Harry and Devyn, who were still supporting Ron.

Neville ran ahead and knocked on Hagrid's door. When Hagrid answered and saw Harry and Devyn supporting Ron, he ushered them in instantly. It was only too clear that Ron was trying to keep the slug in until he had some sort of bucket or something.

"Well," Hagrid said as Devyn and Harry sat Ron down on a bench and settled beside him. "This calls for a specialist's equipment." Hagrid handed Ron a giant bucket and Ron hugged it tightly. Hagrid grimaced and said, "Nothing to do but wait till it stops, I'm afraid."

Another slug came flying out and Devyn rubbed Ron's back. "It's okay, Ron."

Ron sort of groaned and Hagrid said, "Better out than in. Who was Ron trying to curse anyway?"

"Malfoy," Harry said. "But only after Devyn was dragged away from him after bloodying his nose. I dunno, Devyn, you might've broken his nose. I think I heard a crack."

"Good," Devyn said viciously. She glanced at Hermione, who was trying not to cry. Hagrid looked very confused.

"What did Malfoy do?" he asked. Harry said, "He called Hermione...um, well, I don't...I don't know exactly what it means."

Devyn looked at Hagrid, well aware that Snow was fighting to come out and track down Malfoy and tear him to shreds. "He called her a Mudblood."

Hagrid gasped, a horrified look on his face. "He did not!"

Devyn nodded and Harry said, "What's a Mudblood?"

"It means 'dirty blood'," Hermione said, her voice shaking a little. "Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who's Muggle-born. Someone with non-magic parents - someone like me. It's not a term one usually hears in civilized conversation."

Devyn stood up and hugged Hermione. "When has Malfoy ever been civilized, though?"

Hermione laughed, tears spilling out of her eyes. Devyn released her friend and Hagrid said, "See, the thing is, Harry, there're some wizards, like the Malfoy family, who think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call 'pure-blood'. In fact, a lot of pure-blood families think that way. Except for the Weasleys..."

"And me." Devyn added. "I'm a pure-blood, but I don't think that way. That's just awful, thinking you're better than anyone because of your blood!"

Hagrid nodded and Harry said, "That's horrible." Ron spit up another slug and said, "It's disgusting."

"And it's codswallop to boot," Hagrid said. "'Dirty Blood'," he scoffed. "Why there isn't a wizard alive today that's not half-blood or less, except maybe for you, Devyn, although somewhere in your family, there probably are some half-bloods, or Muggle-borns. More to the point, they've yet to think of a spell that our Hermione can't do. Come here...," he said to Hermione. Hermione walked over to Hagrid and he took her hand, patting it gently.

"Don't you think on it, Hermione. Don't you think on it for one minute. Eh?" Hagrid said. Hermione smiled, tears still swimming in her eyes, but Devyn could tell she felt better.

"Hermione," she said. "I know it hurts, but Malfoy doesn't deserve your attention. Like Hagrid said, don't think on it. He isn't worth it."

After that, Ron eventually stopped puking slugs and they were able to go back up to the castle. By this time, night had fallen and when they got back to Gryffindor Tower, Ron said, "Oh, Harry, we've got our detentions tonight!"

Devyn and Neville were lounging on the sofa and Devyn said, "Oh yeah, I forgot you guys got detention for the whole car debacle. Have fun. What are you both doing?"

"I gotta clean the trophies in the trophy room without magic," Ron said, groaning. Devyn looked at Harry and he said, "I have to serve it with Lockhart. McGonagall told me today."

Devyn winced in sympathy. Harry nodded and said, "See you later."

Harry and Ron walked out of the portrait hole and Neville said, "Poor blokes."

Devyn nodded in agreement. She sort of dozed off until she heard a creepy voice say, _Kill...Rip...let me tear you...let me kill you...!_

Devyn sat bolt upright and Neville nearly jumped out of his skin. "Devyn what's wrong?"

"Did you hear that?" Devyn said, looking around wildly. "Did you hear that voice?"

"What voice? Devyn, are you feeling all right?" Hermione asked.

"I'm fine, Hermione. You two didn't hear it?"

"Dev, I think you were dreaming. You did doze off..." Neville said.

"I wasn't dreaming. You really didn't hear it?"

"We didn't hear anything..." Neville said, looking at Hermione. Ron came walking through the portrait hole just as Devyn heard it again.

_Blood...Rip...Tear...Kill. I need to kill!_

Devyn's blood ran cold and a red flag went up in her mind. "We need to find Harry. Now."

Devyn hopped up and ran right out of the portrait hole, dragging Neville and Hermione with her. Ron was highly confused, but followed anyway when Devyn barked, "NOW, Ron!"

"What's going on, Devyn?!" Neville shouted. She looked at him with her eyes glowing wildly. "Devyn, your eyes-!"

"Yes, I know. I'll explain later. But right now **we-need-to-find-Harry**."

* * *

**So, I know a lot happened in this chapter. A LOT. But I like when my chapters are long. I'd rather have them too long than too short, anyway. BUT! Devyn just heard the Basilisk for the first time. I know some of you will be like WTH? Why can she hear the Basilisk? Well, if you remember in the first one, at the zoo, she understood the snake just like Harry did. And Ollivander told her that her father was a Parselmouth, and that's a genetic trait so...yeah. Anyway, keep reading and reviewing and keep an eye out for the next chapter!**

**-Nathan Lane-Beatles Luvr**


	8. Chapter 8

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 8**

Devyn bolted through the halls, the other barely keeping up with her.

Her heart jumped into her throat as she heard it again: _Blood...I smell blood. Let me rip you...Let me kill you...Kill! KILL!_

She rushed down the hallway that led to Lockhart's classroom and nearly ran into Harry. He looked just as unnerved as she did. He didn't even look surprised that Devyn's eyes were glowing green, brighter than ever before in the dark gloom of the halls. Slowly they started to fade back to their normal bright blue, just as Harry said, "Did you hear it?"

Devyn nodded and said, "Yes. I did."

"Harry!" Hermione cried, running up to him and Devyn. Neville and Ron trailed behind, huffing and puffing.

"Did you hear it?" Harry asked them.

"Hear _what_?" Ron asked, sounding thoroughly exasperated.

"That voice!" Harry and Devyn exclaimed.

"Voice?" Hermione said. "What voice? Devyn just led us through a marathon through the castle, after some voice that only she could hear!"

"It isn't just me, Hermione," Devyn added. "Harry can hear it too."

"I heard it first in Lockhart's office, and again, just now..." Harry trailed off.

Both Harry and Devyn froze when they heard it again. _It's time..._

Devyn's hearing ignited into astonishing clarity and her eyes burned bright green. Neville looked horrified and unnerved. "Devyn what is going on? What voice are you talking about, and why are your eyes glowing?!"

"Not now, Neville. Just shush!"

She and Harry both heard it. Something was slithering inside the walls. Something massive. Something homicidal.

"It's moving," Devyn said, looking at Harry. He nodded and Devyn said, her stomach dropping, "I think it's going to kill."

Harry and Devyn pushed past their friends and ran as fast as they could, following the sound of the hissing voice back through the winding halls and corridors of the castle.

"Kill?" Ron repeated, sounding alarmed, but Harry and Devyn didn't hear him. They were already more than halfway down the hall.

"Harry, Devyn, wait, not so fast!" Hermione cried out, but she, Ron, and Neville ran after them anyway. They followed the voice through the halls until they could hear it no longer.

When they stopped, they had reached yet another hallway, although the floor of this one were soaked with water.

"What the -?" Devyn muttered, looking at the floor. She and Harry wandered down the hallway, Hermione, Ron, and Neville following behind, until both Harry and Devyn flung out their arms to stop them.

They had both been looking down and now they saw a long line of small black spiders fleeing the castle out of the window in a straight, orderly, single line. Devyn, for some reason, was shaken to her core. Something was very, very wrong here.

"Strange," Harry said quietly. "I've never seen spiders act like that."

"I don't like spiders..." Ron said, his voice going rather high. But Devyn wasn't looking. She had abandoned the odd spiders and instead, was staring, horrified, at the wall behind them.

"What's that?" Ron asked, clearly puzzled. He was looking at the reflection of the wall in the water on the floor. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville joined Devyn in staring at the wall.

The reason that Devyn was so horrified, the reason that she could barely breathe was that there was writing on the wall, in something that looked a lot like blood.

Devyn read the message aloud, her voice shaking so hard that she scared herself. "'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware.'" She swallowed hard and said, "It's written in blood."

Neville gasped softly. Devyn looked at him and saw that he had turned a ghostly white. He was looking away from the message and along the wall, next to the message. Devyn turned and nearly couldn't believe what she was seeing.

There, impaled through her tail on a torch bracket, was Flich's cat, Mrs. Norris. Her eyes were wide open and she looked utterly terrified. But she wasn't moving. She wasn't breathing - she was completely frozen.

"Oh no," Harry said, walking over to the cat. "It's Filch's cat. It's Mrs. Norris."

And it was just their luck, that at that exact moment, every other student and teacher in the school arrived in that one hallway. They had been surrounded from all sides and everyone was looking at the five of them in horror, their gazed darting from the writing on the wall, to Mrs. Norris, to the five of them.

Devyn, almost subconsciously, sought Neville's hand and took hold of it. This was bad. The only consolation Devyn could find, and it was utterly pathetic, was that her eyes were no longer glowing. She would have felt it if they were. All traces of Snow were gone.

Devyn was so unnerved and horrified at what she had just seen that she barely registered any annoyance or anger when she heard Draco Malfoy's voice.

"'Enemies of the heir, beware'? You'll be next, Mudbloods!"

Devyn saw her classmates staring at Harry in shock, as though they thought he was responsible for this. But, no, wait - they actually thought that Harry did this, and that Devyn and the other three were accomplices or something; she could hear their whispering, see their accusing stares.

"What's going on here? Go on, make way, make way -"

The situation had just gotten about ten times worse - Filch had just shown up, pushing his way through the sea of kids. He eventually came to the clearing where Harry, Ron, Devyn, Hermione, and Neville stood. He walked right past Devyn, Hermione, Ron, and Neville, his eyes set on Harry.

"Potter, what are you...?" Flich's question died off when he caught sight of his beloved Mrs. Norris hanging on the torch bracket. His voice grew shaky and weaker than Devyn had ever heard. "Mrs. Norris...?"

Devyn, who couldn't stand Filch, felt her heart go out to the poor man. If Filch loved anything in this world, he loved Mrs. Norris. However, any sympathy she felt for the caretaker flew out the window when he looked back down at Harry and said, "You've murdered my cat."

"No," Harry said softly. Devyn looked on in horror; Harry would never kill anything, or anyone. He couldn't. "No."

Filch grabbed hold of Harry's collar and pulled him in. "I'll kill you...I'LL KILL YOU!" he shouted at Harry, who was looking utterly horrified.

Thankfully, a familiar voice broke through the crowd - Dumbledore's. "Argus," he called, wading through the crowd. "Argus, I..."

Dumbledore caught sight of Mrs. Norris, and without any expression on his face, said, "Everyone will proceed to their dormitories immediately."

Devyn, Neville, and the others turned away hopefully; maybe they could get away, but Devyn doubted it.

"Everyone except...you five," Dumbledore said, pointing at Devyn, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville. Devyn nodded; she should have known better than to think that they could just get away.

Devyn vaguely heard one of the Ravenclaw prefects say, "Ravenclaws, follow me."

Slowly, everyone walked away, leaving only Dumbledore, McGonagall, Sprout, Snape, Lockhart, Filch, Devyn, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Neville.

"She is not dead, Argus," Dumbledore said, once the last of the students had drifted away. "But she has been Petrified."

Devyn's eyes widened and she swallowed hard. What could have done this? What kind of creature is capable of Petrifying something or someone?

_Well, when I heard the voice, it sounded like there was a hissing sound to it, like a snake. But it would have to be a big bloody snake. And why could only Harry and I hear it? This doesn't make sense!_

Devyn felt like there was a piece of the puzzle she was missing, and she felt as though she should know what it was. Her musings were cut short when she heard the annoying voice of Lockhart, who had walked up to inspect Mrs. Norris.

"Ah, thought so. So unlucky I wasn't there. I know exactly the counter-curse that could've spared her."

Devyn snorted quietly and saw Neville roll his eyes quickly. Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape were looking at Lockhart in disbelief. Lockhart shifted uncomfortably and Dumbledore turned his attention back to the Petrified cat.

Filch looked like he was about to cry and Dumbledore said, "But how she has been Petrifed, I cannot say."

"Ask him," Filch burst out, nearly in tears, looking at Harry. "It's him who's done it! You saw what he wrote on the wall."

"That isn't true!" Devyn said, stepping up to defend Harry. "That writing was already there and Mrs. Norris was already Petrified when we got here!"

Harry nodded and said, "Devyn's right sir. I never touched Mrs. Norris."

"Rubbish!" Filch snapped.

"If I might, Headmaster?" Snape said, stepping forward. Devyn held her breath. _Oh, great. Snape gonna say something that will make us look guilty and then we'll be in trouble... _Devyn thought.

"Perhaps Potter and his friends were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time," Snape continued, making Devyn's heart nearly stop. Snape was **defending **them? Had the world gone mad?

The five of them looked at each other in disbelief. But that disbelief died when Snape continued, "However, the circumstances are suspicious." He walked up to them and said, "I, for one, don't recall seeing Potter, or any of them for that matter, at dinner."

"Professor Snape," Devyn said. "I wasn't at dinner because I dozed off in Gryffindor Tower. Hermione and Neville were with me the entire time."

"What about Weasley?" Snape asked, nodding to Ron. Ron breathed in slowly and said, "I was in the trophy room, polishing the awards and trophies. It was my detention."

"And Potter?" Snape pressed on, looking at Harry, who opened his mouth to reply when Lockhart cut him off. Devyn seriously wished that he hadn't.

"I'm afraid that's my doing, Severus," Lockhart said. Snape turned around to face Lockhart and the blonde idiot explained a little further. "You see, Harry was helping me answer my fan mail."

Snape made a face that lasted a nanosecond and Devyn had to fight to keep the smile off her face. Snape turned around when Hermione started speaking and his eyes darted to Devyn for a second, and she could have been mistaken, but she thought Snape smiled at her very briefly. So briefly in fact that no one else noticed it.

It was good to know that the teachers felt the way she did about Lockhart as well. Snape's eyes darted back to Hermione as she said, "That's why Ron, Devyn, Neville, and I went looking for him."

Devyn knew, of course, that this was a lie, but she wasn't about to tell Snape that she dragged Hermione and the others through the castle because she heard a creepy voice coming from within the walls. They'd have her committed in two seconds flat.

"We'd just found him when he said..." Hermione trailed off, looking at Harry and Devyn. Snape stared at Hermione and said, "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"When I said I wasn't hungry," Harry finished for her. _Thank Merlin for Harry,_ Devyn thought. Snape's eyes snapped to Harry and Harry continued, to the nods of the others, "We were heading back to the common room when we found Mrs. Norris."

Snape raised an eyebrow and whirled around to face Dumbledore, who simply said, "Innocent until proven guilty, Severus."

But Filch was having none of it. "My cat has been **Petrified. **I wanna see some punishment!" Devyn had to commend Filch for not having burst into tears, but she thought that he was about a millimeter away from crying. Devyn was strongly reminded of the time Filch scolded Hagrid for crying over Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback being sent away to a Dragon colony in Romania. Devyn internally shrugged; she figured it was easy to dismiss someone's feelings about something when you haven't experienced a similar feeling.

"We will be able to cure her, Argus," Dumbledore told him, clearly trying to comfort the ancient caretaker. He nodded and said, "As I understand it, Madame Sprout has a very healthy growth of Mandrakes." The caring Herbology teacher stepped forward and nodded as Dumbledore said, "When matured, a potion will be made which will revive Mrs. Norris. And in the meantime, I strongly recommend caution...to all."

Dumbledore sent a significant look towards Devyn, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Neville. Soon after, Dumbledore released them and they started off for Gryffindor Tower immediately.

Devyn's mind was reeling; what had just happened? What had Petrified Mrs. Norris? What was the Chamber of Secrets? And who was this mysterious 'heir', whose enemies should beware?

It was all very confusing and the disembodied voice just added to the confusion.

* * *

As the five of them climbed one of the many moving staircases, Neville turned to Devyn and said, "Now, will you please tell me why your eyes were glowing green?"

Devyn sighed and nodded. "It's quite simple, really. I'm an Animagus, Neville."

"What's that?" Neville asked. Hermione turned around and said, "It's a witch or wizard who can turn into an animal."

"Oh..." Neville said. "Wow! So, what animal do you turn into?"

"A wolf. She goes by Snow."

"Whoa. Can you show me?" Neville asked hopefully. Devyn shook her head and said, "I can't really control when I transform yet. Snow says -"

"Snow _says_? She can speak?" Neville interrupted. Devyn shrugged and said, "Sort of. I can hear Snow's voice in my head. It almost like the voice of your conscience. It's kinda hard to explain though."

"No, I get what you're saying. Sort of like another part of your brain talking to you. The Animagus part of your brain."

"Yeah, I guess. Anyway, Snow says I can't control my transformations yet because I haven't matured to that point yet. Right now, I can sort of control my eyesight, my hearing, and my speed. Usually, certain traits pop out when I'm stressed out or excited, but I can sort of control it especially my hearing. Eventually, I'll be able to control my Animagus abilities all together."

"Oh. Okay, well, that explains that. Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Well," Devyn said, somewhat uncomfortably. "I mean, it isn't that I didn't want to tell you...I just thought the fewer people who know, the better. I mean, even Moony doesn't know."

"_Remus_ doesn't know?!" Neville exclaimed. Devyn shook her head and said, "No. And Neville, keep your voice down."

"Sorry, but seriously; Remus doesn't know? Why wouldn't you tell him?"

"I don't know how he'll react. I'll tell him eventually, but not right now. Please don't tell him, Neville."

"I won't, Devyn, I promise."

Suddenly Hermione said, "It's a bit strange, isn't it?"

Harry turned and said, "Strange? Devyn's been an Animagus for months now, what's so strange about it?"

"Not that," Hermione said, exasperated. "No, I mean, you two," she motioned to Devyn and Harry, "hear a voice. A voice only you two can hear, and then Mrs. Norris turns up Petrified? It's just...strange."

Devyn knew there was something big about this that she was overlooking, but she couldn't think what it was. She felt she should know why she could hear this voice, why Harry could hear this voice, but no one else could.

Harry turned and said, "Do you think I should have told them? About the voice? Dumbledore and the others, I mean."

"Are you mad?" Ron asked incredulously. Neville shook his head and Hermione said, "No, Harry. Even in the Wizarding World, hearing voices isn't a good sign."

"She's right, you know," one of the numerous portraits hanging on the walls said. Devyn frowned though.

"You know, Hermione, it is strange. I mean, obviously, Harry isn't going bonkers, and neither am I, because we can both hear the same voice. But it definitely **is **strange."

That night, when Devyn was lying in bed, an idea suddenly came to her. If the voice belonged to a snake, or a snake-like creature, that explained why she could hear the voice! She was a Parselmouth! Her father had been one, and the trait had been passed down to her!

That was also why she could hear the boa constrictor speak that day at the Zoo, when she met Harry, or saw him again, or whatever. But, if Harry could hear both voices, the boa constrictor from the Zoo and the unknown voice from inside the walls, that meant only one thing - Harry was a Parselmouth, too!

Devyn was about to wake Hermione up and tell her what she had figured out, but stopped herself at the last second - Parseltongue was considered a Dark trait and she didn't want to face a freaked out Hermione. Besides, she didn't even know if Harry knew that he was a Parselmouth, and if he didn't know, Devyn wasn't going to run her mouth about it.

_No, _Devyn decided, closing her eyes. _No, I don't think I will tell her. I have no problem about telling Hermione that __**I'm **__a Parselmouth, but then she'll figure out Harry is a Parselmouth, too, and if Harry doesn't know, or if he doesn't want anyone else to know, it won't be me that spills the beans, or breaks the news to him. No it will not._

And with that decision, Devyn rolled over and went to sleep, visions of Mrs. Norris and the bloody warning on the wall sweeping through her mind like Colin's camera flashes.


	9. Chapter 9

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 9**

After the attack on Mrs. Norris, everyone was very worried. None of them knew what could possibly do that to the cat, and the message written in blood had unnerved them all.

Of course, Devyn was constantly listening for the voice that preceded the discovery of Mrs. Norris. She figured that the voice was a precursor to any attack that may happen. She sincerely hoped that there weren't any more attacks, but the chances of that happening were very slim, with their luck. Besides, if the attack on Mrs. Norris was a one-off thing, why would someone have taken the time to daub that threatening message on the wall?

Currently, none of the teachers were saying much of anything about the Chamber of Secrets, although some of the students were brave enough to ask. No one bothered asking Snape or Lockhart, because asking Snape was like asking to be tortured, and asking Lockhart… well, you'd probably get a more intelligent answer out of a brick wall.

But, one day, when the second years were in Transfiguration, Hermione asked McGonagall about the Chamber, and surprisingly, they actually got an answer.

"Could I have your attention, please?" McGonagall called, as the class got started. Everyone settled down rather quickly. Devyn looked closely at the black bird sitting on a perch a few feet in front of her and Neville, wondering what they'd be doing today.

"Right," McGonagall said. "Now, today we will be transforming animals into water goblets."

Devyn smiled, somewhat excited to get started. McGonagall took out her wand and said, "Like so." She tapped the bird three times and said, "One, two, three: _Vera Verto_."

The bird instantly turned from the feathery creature it was (presumably) born as, into a shining silver goblet. Devyn whispered, "Whoa." She looked at Neville, who looked equally impressed, although he didn't look as excited to get started. After all, Neville was not too skilled when it came to Transfiguration. He was fine once Devyn showed him how to do whatever it was they were doing, but the first couple times, he simply couldn't do it.

Neville, the poor thing, got so frustrated with himself, and kept insisting he was stupid. Devyn's temper flared up whenever Neville said this, because it couldn't be further from the truth. Neville was extremely smart; he was brilliant, but because he couldn't excel at the majority of his classes, he assumed (and eventually began to believe) that he was unintelligent.

"Don't worry, Neville. You can do this. I know you can," Devyn told him. Neville smiled and looked reassured. Devyn was also fairly certain that a faint blush showed up on Neville's face, but she couldn't imagine why.

Devyn's hand, of its own accord, flew up to the charm of the necklace that she always wore – the moonstone and opal necklace that she received from Moony last year, for her birthday.

Speaking of which, Devyn's 13th birthday was only a couple weeks off and she was getting rather excited. She was going to be a teenager! Most people would think that she was expecting something like the necklace for her birthday this year, but she wasn't.

Whatever Moony sent her, even if it was only a birthday letter, would mean the world to her, simply because it was from him.

Turning her attention back to McGonagall, she heard her teacher say, "Now it's your turn. Well, who would like to go first? Ms. Murphy, how about you?" McGonagall strode over to Devyn, and she was sure McGonagall smiled faintly at her, encouraging her.

"Okay." Devyn looked at the rabbit in front her and stroked the animal's back before raising her wand to it and taking a deep breath, and saying, "One, two, three…_Vera Verto_."

To her delight, the adorable bunny rabbit morphed into a shiny goblet. McGonagall smiled and said, "Very good. Ten points to Gryffindor."

Devyn grinned and McGonagall moved on. "Ah! Mr. Weasley, why don't you try next?"

Ron shrugged and cleared his throat. He raised his taped wand to his rat, Scabbers, and tapped the rat three times before saying, "_Vera Verto!_"

The spell worked, but Scabbers didn't turn all the way into a goblet. He retained his fur…and his tail. The class burst out into laughter at the sight of the fuzzy, squeaking goblet and McGonagall said, "That wand needs replacing, Mr. Weasley."

Ron nodded and McGonagall's attention was diverted from the lesson when Hermione raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" McGonagall asked.

"Professor, I was wondering," Hermione said, "if you could tell us about…The Chamber of Secrets?"

McGonagall looked like she was about to decline, but then she noticed how interested the entire class seemed. "Well, very well," McGonagall conceded.

Devyn and Neville twisted in their seats to watch McGonagall. "Well," she said, "you all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Now, three of the founders co-existed quite harmoniously. One did not."

"Three guesses who," Ron interjected. McGonagall looked at him and Devyn smiled slightly. _Of course, it's Slytherin. He's the only one it could be._

"Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. In other words, 'pure-bloods'."

Devyn vaguely noticed that Malfoy was smirking again, but it didn't bother her so much anymore. She was coming to regard Malfoy as nothing more than a nuisance, hardly worth her attention. So, she was trying to learn how to ignore him.

"Unable to sway the others," McGonagall continued, "he decided to leave the school. Now, according to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle, known as the Chamber of Secrets. Though, shortly before departing, he sealed it until that time that his own true heir returned to the school. The heir alone would be able to open the Chamber and unleash the horror within, and by so doing, **purge** the school of all those who, in Slytherin's view, were unworthy to study magic."

"Muggle-borns," Hermione and Devyn said together. They smiled at each other and McGonagall nodded at the two of them.

"Well, naturally," McGonagall said, "the school has been searched many times. No such chamber has been found."

"Professor," Devyn asked, "what exactly does legend tell us lies within the Chamber?"

McGonagall looked at her and said, "Well, the Chamber is said to be home to something that only the heir of Slytherin can control. It is said to be the home of a monster."

Devyn's heart sank. She had hoped against hope that it wasn't a monster – a snake-like monster, but what else could it be? The slithering sound from inside the walls, the creepy, hissing voice, the fact that she could hear it, and the others couldn't, barring Harry…everything pointed to the monster being something snake-related. Devyn remembered something from one of her Mythology books that she read once while she was still at the orphanage, something about a giant snake monster…what was it called?

A Basiliss? No, that wasn't it…a **Basilisk! **That was it; a Basilisk. That was the only giant snake monster she could recall from Mythology, but it couldn't be real, could it? That's what she thought about Unicorns, and Trolls, and Centaurs, but they all turned out to be real.

Was it possible that Basilisks existed too?

And if they did, was there a chance of a Basilisk being the legendary monster of the Chamber of Secrets?

* * *

**Okay, I know this chapter was pretty short. Sorry...but I didn't feel like writing over 3,000 words tonight. So...I hope you like it, and please review. I don't know when the next chapter will be up, because Christmas is very near, so I might take a break until after the New Year...I don't know, but please keep reading and reviewing.**


	10. Chapter 10

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 10**

"Do you think it's true?" Ron asked as the five friends walked down the hallway after McGonagall dismissed the class. "Do you think there really is a Chamber of Secrets?"

Devyn nodded and Neville gulped. Hermione said, "Yes. Couldn't you tell? McGonagall's worried. All the teachers are."

"Exactly, and they wouldn't be worried about something that they knew didn't exist," Devyn added. Harry frowned and said, "Well, if there really is a Chamber of Secrets, a-and it really has been opened, then that means –"

"The Heir of Slytherin has returned to Hogwarts," Devyn finished Harry's thought. Harry nodded but Neville said, "But, w-who is it?"

Devyn shrugged and Ron said, in a mock-thoughtful voice, "Let's think. Who do we know who thinks all Muggle-borns are scum?" Devyn understood Ron's meaning when she saw him glare at Malfoy, who had just strutted past with his cronies.

"If you're talking about Malfoy -" Hermione started, but Ron interrupted.

"Of course! You heard him: 'You'll be next, Mudbloods.'"

"I heard him…" Hermione said darkly. Devyn rolled her eyes, though.

"Come on, Ron… Malfoy, the heir of Slytherin? Look, he's a git, but he isn't a murderer. Even he isn't about to set a monster loose on students."

Ron huffed and said, "Do you have any better ideas?"

"No," Devyn admitted. "But I don't think Malfoy is the Heir of Slytherin. Don't you think, if he was, he'd be parading the fact that he is descended from Salazar Slytherin around? He does that with every other thing."

Ron looked stumped at this bit of thinking, but Harry said, "Well, maybe Ron's right, Devyn. I mean, look at his family. The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin for centuries."

"So? Just because someone's family is in a certain House doesn't automatically make that person the Heir of Slytherin."

"Well, who do you think it is?"

"I honestly don't know. I'm not saying that it **can't **be Malfoy, I'm only saying that I don't think it's him."

Ron and Harry shrugged, but then Neville piped up. "Crabbe and Goyle must know!"

Devyn raised an eyebrow at him and he shrugged. "They might," he said quietly. Devyn doubted this, if only for the reason that Crabbe and Goyle were as stupid as they come. She wondered if they could even read. Ron, however, looked absolutely delighted that Neville has said this.

"Yeah, they might! We could trick them into telling!" Ron said excitedly. Devyn snorted and Hermione said, "Even they aren't **that** thick. But there might be another way. Mind you, it would be difficult. Not to mention, we'd be breaking about fifty school rules. And it'll be dangerous…very dangerous."

"Hermione, if you're thinking what I think you're thinking, then you are both crazy and a genius," Devyn said.

"Well, if I'm thinking what you think I'm thinking, then you're right – it is a bit crazy."

"But brilliant."

"Thank you."

"How are we going to do it, though? It'll take forever."

"We'll work out some way to do it -"

"Excuse me," Ron interrupted. "But would you two mind explaining what you're talking about?"

Devyn chuckled when she caught sight of Neville, Ron, and Harry's confused faces.

"Hermione, you tell them, it's your idea."

"Well, it's simple. The Polyjuice Potion."

* * *

**I know that this chapter was really short, and I'm sorry, but I had added this bit onto the document of chapter 9, forgetting that I had already posted chapter 9, and so, what you have just read became chapter 10 instead.**

**Please review!**

**Oh, and Ali, the only reason that Devyn will NOT be Petrified is because the Basilisk only goes after Muggle-borns, and Devyn is a pure-blood. Just wanted to clear that up. **


	11. Chapter 11

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS. **

**Chapter 11**

The next day, the five friends went into the library and started looking for books on the Polyjuice Potion. It was kind of difficult because it was a potion meant only for the seventh years who were studying advanced Potions.

Devyn and Neville went off to one section not too far away from Hermione, Harry and Ron. Devyn smiled when she caught sight of the words "Sorcerer's Stone". It reminded her of last year, and how they spent weeks upon weeks in the library, looking for anything about Nicolas Flamel. Devyn only hoped that this search went a little faster. Luckily, Devyn's hopes came true when Hermione found what they were looking for.

"Here it is!" Hermione announced as quietly as possible. She was holding a large black tome that had gold letters embossed on the cover which, as Devyn and Neville drew nearer, she saw said, **Moste Potente Potions**.

"The Polyjuice Potion," Hermione read. "Properly brewed, the Polyjuice Potion allows the drinker to transform himself temporarily into the physical form of another."

"Do you mean," Ron said, "that if Harry and I drink that stuff, we'll turn into Crabbe and Goyle?"

"Yep," Devyn answered, hopping up to sit on one of the tables.

"Wicked!" Ron exclaimed. "Malfoy'll tell us anything!"

"Yep," Devyn repeated, looking excited. She had to admit, this was a very good plan. However, she stopped smiling when she looked over Hermione's shoulder at the ingredients. It was seriously complicated.

"Exactly," Hermione told Ron. "But it's tricky. I've never seen a more complicated potion."

"Well, we're only second years," Neville said. "So a potion being more complicated than anything we've ever done would be easy to come by, wouldn't it?"

"You've got a point there, Neville," Devyn said, smiling at him. "But, Hermione's right. The Polyjuice Potion is **really **complicated."

"Well," Harry said, "how long will it take to make?"

"A month," Hermione said, with an air of delivering bad news. Harry's jaw dropped open.

"A month?!" Harry leaned in closer to Hermione and Devyn and said softly, "Hermione, if Malfoy **is** the heir of Slytherin, he could attack half the Muggle-borns in the school by then."

Devyn nodded and Hermione said, "I know. But it's the only plan we've got."

After a moment's consideration, Devyn said, "Well, I'm in. Ron?"

"Yeah, of course! Hermione?" Ron replied.

"Well, you'd better hope I am, as Devyn and I are the only ones who could brew this thing, and you need both of us," Hermione said to him. Ron narrowed his eyes and said, "Is that a yes?"

"Yes," Hermione said slowly. Devyn tried not to laugh at Hermione's expression, but it proved very difficult. Ron nodded and turned to Harry.

"Harry, are you in?"

"Yes, I am," Harry told him. Devyn grinned at him and Harry grinned back, even if it was slightly uncertain. Devyn turned to Neville and said, "How about you, Neville? Are you in?"

"I-I don't know, Devyn. I mean, I'm all for helping you out, but taking the Polyjuice Potion and becoming a Slytherin…I-I can't lie, Devyn, you know that."

"Sure you can. You lied to Moony this summer," Devyn said. Neville shook his head and said, "That was different. Moony wouldn't hurt me if he found out I was lying. The Slytherins would."

"Neville, you know I'd never let anyone hurt you, don't you?"

"Yes, of course Devyn, but…"

"Look, Neville, if you don't want to, it's fine. Really. But you'd have to promise us one thing."

Looking relieved, Neville said, "What? Anything, just name it!"

"Just don't tell anyone what we're planning on doing, okay?"

Neville smiled and said, "I can do that."

* * *

"**COME ON HARRY!**" Devyn screamed at the top of her voice. "**LET'S GO GRYFFINDOR!**"

Beside her, Neville was cheering, but he was also laughing at her antics. Devyn merely shrugged. Quidditch was an exciting sport and she couldn't help it if she got into it. Besides, Harry was one of her best friends – she wanted him to win. That wasn't so bad, was it?

Unfortunately, Slytherin was winning at the present time. "Another goal for Slytherin!" Lee Jordan announced, to the disheartened groans of the Gryffindor spectators. "They lead Gryffindor ninety to thirty!"

As usual, everyone was flying around faster than what would normally be believed. And as much as she didn't want to admit it, Slytherin was playing a good game. However, this admission was quickly being withdrawn because Malfoy kept flying in front of her when he was searching for the Snitch, and he kept smirking at her, as though he was something extremely impressive.

And there he was again. "So, what do you think, Murphy? Pretty good, huh?" Malfoy said, as smug as anything.

"Malfoy, could you SOD OFF? You're not impressive, now GO AWAY!" Devyn shouted at him. Malfoy sneered and flew away. Devyn chanced a glimpse at Neville and saw that he was looking rather peeved.

"You alright, Neville?" Devyn asked. It was odd, but whenever Malfoy tried to 'impress' her, Neville got really annoyed and looked like he wanted to smack the blonde nuisance, even though he was on a broom.

"Yeah, I just don't like him coming over here, that's all," Neville replied. Devyn knew that something else was going on with Neville, but she wasn't able to question it because Parvati leaned over and said, "You know, I reckon Malfoy keeps flying over here because he fancies you, Devyn."

Devyn adopted a horrified expression and shook her head furiously. "Oh my god, no! No, no, no! Never in a million years, even if he did, would I ever -!"

Parvati burst out laughing and said, "Yeah, I don't blame you. He's a right git, that one."

Happily, Neville's expression lightened considerably and Devyn linked her arm through his. "Don't worry, Neville, Malfoy will never steal me away from you. I won't let him."

Neville blushed but smiled all the same. Devyn felt her heart race a little when Neville smiled at her. _What is going on? He's my best friend! I'm not supposed to feel like this._

_**Well, you can't say you weren't expecting it.**_

And there was Snow.

_What are you talking about? _Devyn asked her.

_**Well, I mean, you just turned thirteen. You're a teenager now, and it's only natural that you'd be having your first crush.**_

_But why does it have to be on Neville?_

_**I don't know. But it is, so just go with it. It might disappear, it might not. Who knows what could come of it?**_

_But he's my best friend! It's weird!_

_**Not really. I mean, you'd have to be blind not to see the way he looks at you sometimes. He likes you, too, I reckon. Now, I'm not saying that you should ask him out, but don't just close your mind to the possibility that one day something could happen between you.**_

_Yeah, I get what you're saying I guess._

_**Good. Now watch the game.**_

_Okay, okay._

Devyn turned her attention back to the game and watched as the Slytherin team did a victory lap around the Quidditch pitch after they scored their goal. Devyn's eyes flashed dangerously when she saw Flint nearly kick Harry in the head when he flew over him.

Harry pulled up high and looked around the Quidditch pitch for, Devyn presumed, the Snitch. She rolled her eyes when she saw Malfoy pull up behind Harry. She could sense that Malfoy was about to say something to Harry, so Devyn turned on her hearing and focused in on Harry and Malfoy.

"All right there, Scarhead?" Malfoy asked jeeringly. Harry paid him no mind and kept searching for the Snitch.

But then a Bludger came rocketing out of nowhere, aimed straight for Harry's head. Devyn gasped but was relieved when Harry ducked. Harry and Devyn both watched the Bludger zoom off and Wood pulled into Harry's line of sight.

"Watch yourself, Harry!" Wood shouted. But it wasn't Harry that needed to watch out because the Bludger was making a return trip and was headed straight for Wood.

"WOOD, LOOK OUT!" Harry shouted. Wood looked at the Bludger a second too late. The Bludger collided with Wood's broom, splintering the handle and knocking Wood straight out of the air.

At that point, it became clear that this Bludger wasn't normal – it had started following Harry. Harry took off on his broom, zigzagging every which way, but he couldn't shake the bloody thing. From behind Devyn, Neville, Hermione, and Ron, Hagrid was watching the game with his binoculars.

"Blimey!" he said. "Harry's got himself a rogue Bludger! That's been tampered with, that has!"

Devyn looked on in terror as one of her best friends tried to avoid serious injury, if not certain death, in the form of a Bludger. Ron pulled out his wand and aimed it toward Harry and the Bludger that was stalking him.

"I'll stop it!" Ron said, trying to be brave, or noble. Hermione and Devyn looked at him and said, "NO!" as Hermione forced Ron's arm down.

Ron looked taken aback for a moment and Hermione said, "Even with a proper wand, it's too risky. You could hit Harry."

Ron looked disappointed, but he put his wand away nonetheless. Now, there was nothing to do but watch Harry try to out-fly a Bludger.

Harry did his very best trying to outmaneuver the Bludger, which included flying in between the column-like stands where the teachers sat, but the Bludger just tore through everything in its path. It was hell-bent on getting Harry.

The crazy chase finally culminated in Harry flying vertically up a column, which proved to be too much for the Bludger. Instead of following Harry up vertically, it just continued straight, smashing through the column and vanishing from sight.

Devyn wanted to be able to breathe a sigh of relief, but she couldn't. Something in her was telling her that it wasn't over. Harry pulled away from the column and ended up face to face with Malfoy.

"Training for the ballet, Potter?" Malfoy sneered at him. Devyn wanted nothing more than to go pummel Malfoy, but as he was far above her in the air, she was unable to do this. So, she settled for cussing Malfoy out under her breath.

But then a miracle happened – the Snitch appeared just behind Malfoy and he didn't even see it. _Some Seeker he is, _Devyn thought with a scoff.

Harry saw it but he had no time to lose because the Bludger came back and nearly beheaded both Harry and Malfoy. Malfoy turned around to watch the Bludger and Harry took his chance. He zoomed after the Snitch and Malfoy realized his mistake a second too late. He too zoomed after the Snitch, following in Harry's wake.

A race for the Snitch began and Malfoy tried to elbow Harry out of the way, but Harry wasn't having any of it. Malfoy did manage to get ahead, but then the Snitch ducked down beneath the wooden supports that ran around the Quidditch pitch. Devyn was now not in the least interested in the other players. She needed to know that Harry would be alright.

Although she couldn't see what was going on down there, she could still hear – and hear she did. She heard the whooshing of the Bludger flying through the air after Harry, and she heard Malfoy shriek, "You'll never catch me, Potter!"

This amused her greatly because Malfoy was not nearly as good as he thought he was, and it was only a matter of time before Harry got the better of him and won the game. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the unmistakable crunch of wood being broken; she could only suppose that the Bludger had broken through some of the supports down there.

**Crunch. Crack. **

The sound of more wood being broken permeated the air and Devyn's ears as she watched for any sign that Harry and Malfoy would come back to the surface.

Finally they surfaced right in front of Colin Creevey, who managed to snap a picture before they zoomed by him, leaving Colin very shaken and scared behind them in their wake. Colin ducked quickly when he saw the Bludger that had been stalking Harry persistently and Harry and Malfoy (and the Bludger) ducked under the supports again.

Devyn heard the Bludger rocketing around down there – every thud, every bang, every noise that meant the Bludger had come into contact with something. And then it was gone. She couldn't hear it anymore, which could only mean that it had broken through the wall of the pitch again and was now zooming around outside of it, looking for an opportunity to get back in and continue trying to murder Harry.

And then it was back within seconds. She didn't hear it collide with anything else, but seconds later, she heard Malfoy cry out in shock and watched him come flying out of the supports area without his broom. His broom fell to the wayside as Malfoy somersaulted and flipped in the air before finally landing in a way that couldn't be comfortable for any male to experience.

Devyn almost felt bad for him – almost. But she had more important matters to look after, namely Harry. She quickly located her friend, who was still chasing the Snitch through the air. He was only feet away from it when the Bludger came out of **nowhere **and collided with Harry's arm.

Devyn heard a loud crack and knew instantly that Harry's arm had broken. His arm guard went flying off and Harry cradled his broken arm to his chest. But he didn't give up. He kept flying after the Snitch. He spiraled for a moment and then went after it again.

Devyn's heart was in her throat. _Come on, Harry. Come on, you can do it. _

He reached out for the Snitch again, but he was just too far away. He finally swiped at it with his one good arm and Devyn saw it disappear from view. Harry had caught it!

But then Harry swung upside down on his broom, so that for a moment, he looked like a sloth hanging from a tree. But then he hit the ground hard, on his back. Everyone watched in horror as for a moment, Harry wasn't moving.

"Let's go," Hermione said. Devyn, Neville, Ron, and Hagrid followed her and they rushed down the pitch.

"Harry Potter has caught the Snitch!" Lee Jordan announced. "Gryffindor WINS!"

Everyone erupted into cheers but the happiness lasted only for a moment because the Bludger was still trying to kill Harry. Now it rocketed towards Harry's face from on high and Harry rolled to dodge it. The Bludger did that two more times before Hermione finally aimed her wand and said, "_Finite Incantatum!_"

The spell hit the Bludger and the small, violent ball exploded into dust. It was finally over.

* * *

**I'm sorry I had to end it here, but I've got to get ready for my cousin's wedding, so…yeah. Anyway, keep an eye out for the next chapter, where Harry's loses the bones in his arm because of Lockhart and lots of other stuff happens!**

**Keep reading and reviewing!**


	12. Chapter 12

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 12**

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked Harry as they all ran down to where Harry was lying on the ground. Harry sat up and cradled his arm.

"No, I think…I think my arm's broken," Harry said. Devyn could tell he was in a lot of pain, and not being able to help him was bothering the hell out of her. The fact was, however, that she had no clue how to heal bones, and if she tried (which she wasn't stupid enough to do), she could make things much, **much **worse for Harry.

"Well, don't worry, Harry, Madam Pomfrey will have that mended in a second," Neville told Harry, to many nods coming from the people around them.

"No need, Mr. Longbottom!"

Devyn closed her eyes when she heard the one voice that grated her nerves more than Draco Malfoy's – that belonging to Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Not to worry, Harry. I will fix that arm of yours straight away!" Lockhart said. Devyn flared up at once.

"No, you will not! We are taking Harry to Madam Pomfrey. _She _will fix Harry's arm, not you."

"Miss Murphy, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were questioning my magical skills."

"Clearly, you don't know better because that's **exactly **what I am doing. You let loose a cage of insane pixies in the classroom and then ran off without telling us how to fight them. Do you really think that I'm going to let you just heal Harry's arm, when you don't even know how to fight pixies? Are you that mentally unstable?"

Devyn heard Neville snort but Lockhart was not amused. "Miss Murphy, if you don't watch your mouth, I will have no choice but to give you detention. As for right now, however, Harry needs medical help and I am qualified to do so. Please step aside."

Lockhart actually had the nerve to push her out of the way so he could get to Harry. Devyn felt her anger reach a boiling point and was about a millisecond from wolfing out on Lockhart, but then she locked eyes with Neville, which, for some reason, calmed her down completely.

"No," Harry said weakly, looking at Lockhart, who had just knelt down beside Harry. "Not you."

"Oh, poor boy doesn't know what he's saying…" Lockhart muttered with a chuckle. Now this…" Lockhart pushed Harry's sleeve up gently, clearly trying to save him from any pain, but considering his arm was broken, and that wasn't really going to happen. Harry winced and Lockhart continued, "…won't hurt a bit."

Lockhart raised his wand and pointed it at Harry's arm. "_Brackium emendo!_"

"Again with the made up spells…" Devyn muttered. And she was right, of course. Unfortunately, unlike the pixie spell, this _did _have an effect. A bright blue light glowed around Harry's arm and when it faded…

"Eurgh!" was the general consensus. Lockhart hadn't healed Harry's broken bones - he had removed them.

"Oh, this is just perfect! Good job, Professor!" Devyn said angrily. Lockhart glanced at her and then turned back to Harry, who was looking at his arm with a disturbed look on his face. This was completely reasonable, though, considering his arm was just hanging there limply like a rag doll. Harry couldn't even move it anymore – it just hung there in the air.

"Ah, yes, well," Lockhart stammered, "that can sometimes happen, um, but, uh, the point is, uh….you can no longer feel any pain and very clearly, the bones are not broken."

"Broken?!" Hagrid asked in outrage. "There's no bones left!"

"And this is why I wanted to take him to Madam Pomfrey, but **NO**. You," she pointed at Lockhart, "had to go and be a show-off, although the only thing you showed us was how not to heal a broken arm, and now Harry's missing the bones in his arm. Great job. Come on, guys. We've got to get Harry to Madam Pomfrey."

"Miss Murphy, I have tried to be lenient with you, but now you've given me no choice. I'm giving you detention for tomorrow night and –"

"-Gilderoy!"

Devyn spun around when she heard McGonagall's voice. She walked right up to Lockhart and said, "I just witnessed Miss Murphy berating you for something you shouldn't have done in the first place. You should have listened to Miss Murphy and allowed her and her friends to take Harry to the Hospital Wing. I don't see any reason to give Miss Murphy detention."

"She was insulting me, Minerva. I thought, as a teacher, it was my right to give detentions as I see fit."

"It is, Gilderoy. However, that doesn't mean that you can give a student detention for speaking the truth, no matter how rude or insolent they may sound. Miss Murphy," McGonagall said, turning to Devyn. "You do not have to serve detention. Now, would you and your friends please escort Harry to the Hospital Wing at once?"

"Yes, Professor," Devyn replied, grinning. McGonagall winked almost imperceptibly at her and Devyn tried very hard not to laugh at Lockhart's face. He looked as though he couldn't believe what had just happened.

* * *

While Devyn, Neville, Ron, Hermione, and the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team were standing around Harry's bed, Malfoy was behind them on one of the beds, moaning and groaning in pain from his impact about an hour earlier.

"Oh, Mr. Malfoy, stop making such a fuss, you can go!" Madam Pomfrey snapped at him. Devyn smirked and then quickly moved out of the way as Pomfrey said, "Out of my way, out of my way! Should've been brought straight to me. I can mend bones in a heartbeat, but growing them back…"

"You will be able to, won't you?" Hermione asked, clearly worried. Madam Pomfrey looked at her and nodded, "Oh, I'll be able to certainly. But it'll be painful."

She turned to Harry and said, "You're in for a rough night, Potter. Re-growing bones is a nasty business."

She handed Harry a cup with clear liquid in it, which had come from a bottle shaped like a skeleton from the skull to the ribcage, which was labeled, "**SkeleGrow**". Devyn remembered seeing a similar bottle when she awoke from that two-day long coma she was in, when her skull had been bashed open from the fight with Quirrell.

Harry took a sip of it and spit it out almost immediately, making several of his teammates jump back to avoid getting sprayed with the liquid.

"Ugh," Harry grimaced and Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes. "Well, what did you expect? Pumpkin juice?"

Harry tried again to drink some of the SkeleGrow, and this time, managed to actually swallow it. Devyn and Neville went to talk to Madam Pomfrey.

"Is he going to be okay?" Devyn asked. Madam Pomfrey looked up at her and her eyes softened. She nodded.

"Yes, Harry will be fine. He'll be in for a rough night, like I said, but he'll be just fine. And how are you doing, Devyn? Any residual effects from your head injury?"

Devyn shook her head and said, "No. Everything's perfectly normal. Thank you for fixing me up, by the way. I don't think I ever said thank you."

Madam Pomfrey smiled and said, "It was no problem. That's my duty as the nurse. If I may ask, how did Harry lose the bones in his arm?"

"Lockhart."

"Oh…what did he do now?"

"He tried to heal Harry's arm with some bogus spell and ended up removing the bones from Harry's arm. I told him that we were bringing Harry to you, but he pushed me out of the way and wouldn't take no for an answer."

Madam Pomfrey nodded and said, "I don't know why Dumbledore ever hired him. I suppose it was only because he was the only one who was stupid enough to apply for the job. After what happened to Quirrell, no one wanted it."

"Quirrell got what was coming to him," Devyn said, a hint of savageness in her voice. Madam Pomfrey nodded and said, "I agree, but it's been very difficult trying to get anyone to apply for the job. Finally, Lockhart sent in his application and Dumbledore had no choice but to appoint him. He was the only one who even applied."

"Yeah, well… thank you, Madam Pomfrey. Keep an eye on Harry, won't you? I don't want him to be in pain."

"I'll try."

And with that, Devyn, Neville, Hermione, and Ron said their goodbyes to Harry and went back to Gryffindor Tower. Devyn could only hope that Harry made it through the night without too much pain.


	13. Chapter 13

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 13**

By the time everyone woke up the next morning, the news was all around the school – Colin Creevey had been found Petrified, just like Mrs. Norris. Naturally, the Gryffindors, the first years especially, were shocked and devastated that this happened to poor Colin.

Devyn found him to be annoying, sure, but this… no one deserved that fate. However, the good news was that Colin was alive, but as the Mandrake supply was not fully matured yet, there was nothing to be done for him, except to make him as comfortable as possible in the Hospital Wing.

Speaking of the Hospital Wing, Harry had been released that morning, his bones completely re-grown. When he managed to locate Devyn, Neville, Hermione and Ron, he had an interesting story to tell them.

Devyn wasn't entirely listening as Harry recounted the tale of his second visit from Dobby; she was watching Ginny, who was sitting across the room, writing in a small black diary. Of course, as Ginny was an eleven year old girl, her writing in a diary was not odd, but her expression was causing Devyn some slight concern.

Ginny looked thoroughly disconcerted, like she was edging toward being scared of something, but not quite there yet.

"-Devyn, are you even listening?" Harry asked. Devyn snapped her attention back to her friends and looked guiltily at Harry.

"To be honest, no, I wasn't. I was watching Ginny."

"What for?" Ron asked suspiciously. Devyn rolled her eyes at him and said, "Relax, Ron. I'm not going to jump her or anything. Besides, I'm straight."

Ron spluttered in surprise and finally managed to choke out, "That's not what I meant at all! No, I'm only asking because, well, she's my sister, and Percy has told me he's been noticing something wasn't entirely right with Ginny either."

Devyn, who had burst out laughing at Ron's stunned expression, sobered up and said, "Really? I wonder if she's okay. Maybe I should talk to her. You know, girl to girl."

"Yeah, you could," Ron replied, glancing at his sister. "But, you know, it's probably just Colin that's got her so upset. They are friends, after all."

"Yeah… so anyway, Harry, you were saying…?"

"Oh, can I continue with my story?" Harry asked, with an annoyed expression. Devyn waved her hand in a "yes, go on" motion and he smiled sarcastically.

Devyn rolled her eyes and Harry said, "So, yeah, I heard that voice again in the middle of the night –"

"-Yeah, I heard it, too! I thought I was dreaming, but I guess not," Devyn interrupted. She had forgotten to mention that.

Harry looked at her, even more annoyed now, and she said, "Sorry."

"Anyway, when I woke up, I looked around and Dobby was there."

"Dobby? That House Elf that showed up in your bedroom and was stopping your mail?" Ron asked. Harry nodded and said, "Yeah that one. He also was the one who stopped us getting through the barrier at King's Cross. And he enchanted that Bludger to attack me."

"That little git!" Ron exclaimed, clearly outraged. Hermione turned to him, with an expression that would terrify a saber-toothed tiger into acting like a sweet kitten.

"Ron! I'm sure Dobby was doing what he thought was best!"

"Yeah, well, easy for you to say! You're not the one who crashed your father's car into the Whomping Willow, all right?"

"Well, if you had just thought reasonably, that wouldn't have happened. It's was your own stupidity that did that!"

"Yeah, well, he broke Harry's arm!" Ron fired back.

"Technically, it was the Bludger that did that…" Hermione said.

Ron looked like he was gearing up for a screaming match, so Devyn intervened quickly, wanting to get back to the story.

"All right, that's enough. No, that's it. Both of you shut up," Devyn said. Ron and Hermione looked like they were going to object but Devyn said, in her firmest voice possible, "**Shut. Up.**"

After that, they sat quietly as Harry continued his tale. "So, anyway, Dobby shows up and tells me that 'terrible things are about to happen at Hogwarts' and that 'history is about to repeat itself'."

"History is about to repeat itself? What does that mean…?"

"Well, we can discuss it in the bathroom," Hermione said suddenly.

"_What?_"

The boys turned to look at her in confusion. Devyn laughed and said softly, "That's where we've decided it would be best to brew the Polyjuice Potion. Come on."

* * *

"Again?" Hermione said, when Harry told her his theory that 'history is about to repeat itself' meant that this had happened before in Hogwarts' history. Neville was sitting next to Devyn and Harry, while Hermione was sitting on the floor opposite them, with a small cauldron in between them. Ron was standing behind Devyn, leaning up against one of the bathroom stalls.

"You mean the Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" Neville asked, a tremor entering his voice. Devyn rubbed his back absentmindedly while looking at **Moste Potente Potions**, trying to decipher some of the complicated instructions for the Polyjuice Potion.

"Of course," Ron interjected. "Don't you see? Lucius Malfoy must have opened it when he was at school here. And now he's taught Draco how to do it."

Devyn sighed. She still didn't believe that Draco Malfoy was the Heir of Slytherin, that he was the one who attacked Mrs. Norris and Colin. Despite her hatred of him, her wolf senses were telling her that he wasn't the one who was doing it.

"Maybe," Hermione said lightly. "We'll have to wait for the Polyjuice Potion to know for sure."

Ron looked around their surroundings and said, "Enlighten me. Why are we brewing this potion in broad daylight, in the middle of a girls' lavatory. Don't you think we'll get caught?"

Devyn and Hermione laughed and Hermione said, "No. No one ever comes in here."

"Why?" Ron questioned.

"Moaning Myrtle," Devyn answered. Every girl in Hogwarts either knew or knew of Moaning Myrtle. Despite her off-putting name and her miserable demeanor, Myrtle was actually a very nice ghost, who had died very young, possibly when she was a second or third year as she looked no older than twelve or thirteen. Nobody knew much about her story, even though she was quite verbal about her death, or the fact that she was dead, at least. Devyn suspected this was because no one ever plucked up the courage to ask her.

Devyn had once asked Nearly Headless Nick if he knew how Myrtle died, but he only adopted a sad expression and said, "Oh, poor Myrtle. It was a tragedy, really…"

He went on describing how sad Myrtle's death had been and how shocking it was, that a student was killed like that, but he never got around to saying what her cause of death was.

Bringing herself back to reality, Devyn heard Ron ask, "Who?"

"Moaning Myrtle," Hermione parroted Devyn's previous response. Hermione's answer had a different intonation, however, that caused Devyn to look up. It sounded like a greeting, and a greeting it was. Devyn smirked discreetly when she saw Myrtle floating behind Ron. She must have just floated up from the toilet that she haunted. Devyn couldn't be sure, but she thought Myrtle haunted that particular stall because that was where she died.

"Who's Moaning Myrtle?" Ron asked. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Myrtle snapped, "I'm Moaning Myrtle."

She soared up above them and looked down at Ron. "I wouldn't expect you to know me! Who would ever talk about ugly, miserable, moping Moaning Myrtle?"

Myrtle gave a sob and wailed as she flew past Ron back into her toilet, which splashed water out and banged its' seat when she did.

"She's a little sensitive," Hermione stated.

"But she's actually really nice," Devyn said.

Ron just looked at them like they were nuts.


	14. Chapter 14

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 14**

"Oh, you have **got** to be **kidding!**"

"What's up, Devyn?" Neville asked from the sofa. Devyn grabbed the paper from the notice board and read aloud to the whole common room.

"Due to the tragic events as of late, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart invites you to join the Dueling Club. It will be a safe environment for students to learn how to duel each other. Everyone is welcome, so don't be shy! The first meeting is tomorrow morning, in the Great Hall."

Neville rolled his eyes and Harry face-palmed himself. Ron shook his head and Hermione looked utterly delighted. She squealed and said, "Oh, we simply must go! We **have **to see him in action!"

Devyn rolled her eyes and placed the paper back on the notice board before collapsing on the couch next to Neville. She rested her head on his shoulder and said, "I suppose we should go. Never know, Lockhart could always be cursed…"

Harry, Ron, and Neville all grinned and Hermione looked scandalized. All the other occupants of the common room were either twittering away about Lockhart and his magnificent new dueling club (even though the first meeting hadn't even happened yet) or grumbling about Lockhart and his stupid dueling club.

Seamus and Dean came over to them and Seamus said, "Have you seen the notice about the dueling club?" He looked thoroughly disgruntled about it. Devyn nodded her head and said, "Yep. We're gonna go."

"Why?" Dean asked. "Lockhart seems like a right fraud to me."

Hermione and Lavender, who had just wandered over, looked shocked and dismayed that they weren't giving their poor baby Lockhart a chance to prove himself, but the others ignored them. Parvati was also wondering why Devyn, Neville, Harry and Ron were bothering to go to the dueling club when they hated Lockhart, and was looking at them with an eyebrow raised.

"Because," Neville said, lowering his voice, "there is a chance that Lockhart might get cursed by someone. That'd be worth seeing."

Dean, Seamus, and Parvati all smiled mischievously and Seamus said, "You know Dean, I think we should check it out, just in case."

"Yes, you should!" Hermione cried. "And then maybe you'll see how talented and powerful Professor Lockhart is!"

"Fat chance, Hermione," Ron said, from the floor, where he was sitting cross-legged, trying to complete his Astrology homework.

Hermione pouted yet again, but everyone ignored her. They had become used to her crush on Lockhart, and the inevitable blindness that came with it. However, Devyn failed to understand how Hermione could still think that way about him when he had set a cage of Pixies on them, and caused Harry to lose all the bones in his arm.

* * *

Devyn folded her arms as she watched Lockhart prance up and down this long stage like structure that had been erected in the Great Hall. From what Devyn could see, it had images of the phases of the moon on it.

"This better be worth my time," Devyn said. Neville shrugged and Hermione said, "Oh, it will. You'll change your mind about Lockhart, Devyn, you'll see!"

Devyn looked at Hermione and said, "No. Just no."

Hermione huffed and then snapped to attention when she heard Lockhart's voice.

"Gather round! Gather round. Can everybody see me? Can you all hear me?"

"Unfortunately," Neville and Devyn muttered under their breath. Once they realized they had spoken in unison, they flashed grins at one another.

"Excellent!" Lockhart said. "In light of the dark events of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Dueling Club to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves, as I myself have done on countless occasions – for full details, see my published works."

Devyn rolled her eyes in annoyance and disbelief when Lockhart removed his decorative cape and threw it over to a group of fifth year girls. One of them caught it and smiled at her friends like she had just received the best prize in the universe.

"He is so full of it…" Devyn muttered as Lockhart said, "Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape."

_Oh, I'm sure Snape appreciated that, being called Lockhart's 'assistant', _Devyn thought with a smirk, as she watched Snape ascend the stairs to the platform. Between the two of them, Devyn would root for Snape every time.

"He," Lockhart continued, "has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry – you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear."

Devyn shoved her fist in her mouth to silence her laughing. She highly doubted that Lockhart would be able to do any more than send sparks at Snape before the Potions Master cursed him into oblivion.

Lockhart assumed what he clearly thought was good dueling position and counted down from three. Before he could get the first syllable of whatever inane (and probably entirely fake) spell out, Snape had raised his wand and said, quite calmly, "_Expelliarmus!_"

The spell sent Lockhart flying into the air and he hit the ground with a resounding thud. Devyn couldn't take it anymore. She nearly collapsed from laughing so hard. She was among those who were laughing, but others, like Hermione, were wondering if Lockhart was okay.

"Do you think he's all right?" Hermione asked, craning her neck to look at Lockhart.

"Who cares?" Ron replied, still laughing. Devyn turned to look at Snape and laughed even harder when she saw the smirk on Snape's face. She sent a 'thumbs-up' his way, and if she hadn't been watching for it, she would have missed it, but Snape nodded ever so slightly in her direction. Granted, Snape could be a git a lot of the time, but Devyn tried to stay on his good side, for the most part. It was hard, especially when he tormented Neville, or Harry in Potions class, but she still tried to do it.

And even if you asked why she did it, she wouldn't be able to tell you, but something in her was telling her that Snape wasn't all he appeared to be.

Finally, Lockhart shook off the astonishment and stood up. Devyn mentally filed that spell, _Expelliarmus_, away for future use. She figured it would come in handy someday.

"An excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape," Lockhart said, as he flounced back toward the middle of the platform, where Snape stood. "But, if you don't mind me saying, it was _pretty _obvious, uh, what you were about to do, and if I had wanted to stop you, it would have been only too easy."

Devyn wondered if Hermione was actually buying Lockhart's bull and immediately got her answer when she saw her nod sanctimoniously, in agreement to Lockhart's statement. Devyn rolled her eyes, a skill she would soon master, no doubt. Lockhart was only trying to repair his wounded pride now.

"Perhaps it would be prudent to _first _teach the students to block unfriendly spells, Professor," Snape answered smoothly, completely unfazed by Lockhart's smugness, although he did smirk slightly when Lockhart looked ever so uncomfortable.

_Honestly, _Devyn thought, _I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't know how to block. _

_**Neither would I**__, _Snow replied. _**He's a complete, to use one of Snape's favorite words, a dunderhead. I cannot believe Hermione is falling for his rubbish. **_

_You're telling me. I just hope she isn't too terribly disappointed when she realizes the truth. _

_**Mhmm.**_

Focusing back on Snape and Lockhart, Devyn heard Lockhart say, "Excellent suggestion, Professor Snape. Er, let's have a volunteer pair – Potter, Weasley! How about you?"

Harry nodded and started to walk up to the platform and Ron attempted to follow him, but Snape said, "Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest of spells. We'll be sending Potter to the Hospital Wing in a matchbox."

While Snape had a point, he didn't need to say it so rudely, in Devyn's opinion. Ron's face fell but he acknowledged the truth of Snape's statement by staying next to Hermione, Devyn, and Neville in the crowd.

"Might I suggest someone from my own house?" Snape asked, spreading his arms wide. "Malfoy, perhaps?"

Snape turned around, pointed at Malfoy, who immediately clambered up onto the platform, and walked off. Lockhart looked distinctly disgruntled and a little worried at this new pairing. Devyn snorted and thought, _You clearly don't know Harry – or Malfoy, for that matter._

Lockhart walked by Harry and said, "Good luck, Potter."

Always the polite one, Harry said, "Thank you, sir," and kept walking towards Malfoy, who was smirking up a storm. They came to rest in front of one another and promptly began a staring contest.

"Wands at the ready!" Lockhart announced. Malfoy and Harry brought their wands up in front of their faces.

"Scared, Potter?" Malfoy said, still smirking. Devyn rolled her eyes yet again, but clenched her fist in support when Harry said, "You. Wish."

Every single Gryffindor smiled and nodded in admiration of Harry. Devyn bit her lip and smiled at Neville; they were both _so _ready to see Harry defeat Malfoy in front of everyone.

They brought their wands away from their faces and turned on their heels, stalking away from each other. They stopped after a while and faced each other once more, this time both assuming a dueling position – one that, Devyn noted, mimicked Snape's almost exactly. To Devyn, this position looked like a scorpion getting ready to strike.

"On the count of three," Lockhart said, "cast your charms to disarm your opponent – ONLY to disarm. We don't want any accidents here."

"One, two –" Lockhart started counting, but Malfoy interrupted him with a spell.

"_Everte Statum!" _Malfoy shouted as he thrust his wand forward at Harry. A large beam of purple-ish light hit Harry and sent him somersaulting through the air. Harry hit the end of the platform hard and some of the Slytherins started chuckling.

Harry sat up almost immediately and got right back up, sending his own spell at Malfoy.

"_RICTUSEMPRA!_" Harry yelled. A thin ray of light shot toward Malfoy and lifted him off his feet, sending him barrel-rolling through the air and he landed at Snape's feet. Malfoy looked up at his Head of House, slightly ashamed and Snape pulled him up by his collar and shoved him at Harry.

"I said, disarm ONLY," Lockhart said, but no one was listening to him. For a second or two, neither Malfoy nor Harry moved, but then –

"_Serpensortia!_" Malfoy cried out. Out of his wand, a large hooded cobra appeared and landed on the platform before Harry.

The second the snake appeared, Devyn felt a strange pull towards the creature and subconsciously started moving toward it, just as Harry backed away slightly. Snape moved forward and said, "Don't worry, Potter. I'll get rid of it for you."

But Devyn didn't want him to. Devyn wanted the snake to stay. She wanted to speak with it, communicate with it. She didn't know why she wanted to, but she did. It was like this immovable force within her, pulling her closer to the creature every second.

Eventually Devyn came to stand next to a Hufflepuff she vaguely recognized as Justin Finch-Fletchley and stared at the snake. The snake itself was looking around, hissing at people. Somewhere in her, Devyn knew the snake wasn't safe and needed to be taken care of. That was why she needed to talk to it, to coax it into coming quietly.

It moved to look at Lockhart when the annoying blonde man said, "Allow me, Professor Snape. _Alarte Ascendare!_"

Devyn felt anger rise up in her when the snake was thrown into the air and came crashing down hard. That had only angered the snake. Now it would be almost impossible to reason with it.

It had landed right in front of Justin and Devyn. It turned to face Justin and started advancing on the boy.

"_Stop,_" Devyn said. Everyone turned to look at her, with shocked looks on their faces. She knew why, of course. She had already known in order to speak with the snake, she would have to reveal that she was a Parselmouth.

The snake snapped its attention to her for a second before looking back to Justin, inching closer toward him.

"_Stop, she said. Listen to her. Don't attack him._"

This time it was Harry who spoke and everyone around them became even more shocked. Of course, Devyn could understand their shock – Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, a Parselmouth?

The snake clearly did not want to listen but both Devyn and Harry commanded, in loud voices, "_WE SAID STOP!_"

The snake finally admitted defeat and ceased inching toward Justin. Devyn switched back to English and watched as a very shocked Snape muttered, "_Vipera Evanesca_."

The snake caught fire from both ends and dissolved into nothing more than ash. Harry came out of his stupor and frowned at the spot where the snake had been.

"What are you playing at? The both of you!" Justin said shakily. But Harry and Devyn said nothing. One was completely unfazed by the event, while the other simply didn't know what had transpired – what had just been revealed.


	15. Chapter 15

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 15**

After Devyn switched back to English, she became fully aware of everyone staring at her and Harry. Her only thought was that she needed to get both Harry and herself out of here. Mainly, she was more concerned with Harry than herself, but she knew this wasn't where she needed to be right now.

Devyn hopped up on the platform and started pulling Harry along. "Come on, Harry. We need to get you out of here."

Harry didn't argue, thankfully. He just went right along with her. As Devyn pulled Harry out of the Great Hall, she heard the others calling after them, but she couldn't stop. If she stopped, there would questions, awkward questions that she _might _be able to answer. However, they wouldn't be concerned with her – they'd be worried about Harry. He was far more important than her anyhow – that didn't bother her. However, she knew that Harry was already confused enough and he didn't need a lot of questions being thrown at him right now, or at least not here. The questions could wait until they got into the Common Room.

So that was where Devyn took Harry – back to the Common Room. As soon as they entered it, Devyn could Hermione and Neville's voices calling after them, and sure enough, about five seconds later, Hermione, Neville and Ron came bursting through the portrait hole.

"You're a Parselmouth! The pair of you! Why didn't you tell us?" Ron asked accusingly. Devyn ignored him.

"I'm a what?" Harry said. Of course, he didn't know the term, but he had to know already that he had the ability. After all, there was that one time with the boa constrictor…

"You can talk to snakes," Hermione clarified. Devyn nodded and said, "Yes, I can. I've known for a while now."

"Yeah, I know," Harry said. "I mean, I accidentally set a python on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once –"

"Wasn't it a Boa Constrictor?" Devyn interjected thoughtfully. Harry frowned and said, "Oh yeah, it was. Well anyway, yeah I did," Hermione looked horrified and Harry continued, "Uh, once! But so what? I bet loads of people here can do it! I mean, look at Devyn. I'm not the only one."

"No, Harry," Neville said. "They can't."

Hermione nodded and said, "It's not a very common gift, Harry. This is bad."

Devyn sighed heavily. She knew this would happen. As Harry's jaw dropped open in confusion, Devyn simply sat down on the arm of the chair.

"What's bad?" Harry asked, extremely puzzled. Of course, he didn't understand the connotation that came with being a Parselmouth. "If Devyn and I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin –!"

"Oh, that's what you two said to it!" Ron exclaimed.

Devyn shook her head in aggravation as Harry said, "You were there! You heard us!"

"Harry, they didn't hear what we said. They only heard…well, hissing, to be honest," Devyn told him. Ron nodded and said, "Yeah, I heard you speaking Parseltongue. Snake language?"

If Harry was in disbelief before, it was nothing compared to how he was now. "I spoke a different language?"

Ron, Hermione, and Neville all nodded and Devyn put her hand on Harry's shoulder. The bespectacled boy looked at her and said, "I didn't realize…I…how can I speak a language without knowing I can?"

Hermione shrugged and said, "I don't know, Harry, but it sounded like you and Devyn were egging the snake on or something."

Harry and Devyn both objected but Hermione said, "Harry, listen to me. There's a reason the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent. Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth. He could talk to snakes, too."

Devyn rolled her eyes when she realized where Hermione was going with this. But then, she stopped and thought. When applied to Harry, it was ridiculous. Harry was a half-blood, and Slytherin was probably the biggest blood purist in the last 1,000 years, except for Voldemort. There was no way that Harry was descended from Slytherin. Devyn could feel it. But herself….that was a different story. Devyn was a pure-blood, and therefore a perfectly likely candidate to be descended from Slytherin. But it just seemed unlikely. From what she knew, her father was a complete Gryffindor, and her mother was a Ravenclaw through and through. If either one of them had any Slytherin blood in them, wouldn't the hat have stalled for a moment, when it tried to decide where to put them?

"Exactly!" Ron exclaimed, bringing Devyn out of her thoughts. "Now the whole school's gonna think that you or Devyn, or the both of you, are his great-great-great grandkid, or something."

Devyn rolled her eyes but Harry seemed thoroughly disconcerted by this thought. "But I'm not…" he said, almost pleading. "I can't be."

"He lived over a thousand years ago," Hermione said. "For all we know…you could be. Either one of you."

Neville had barely said a word, and Devyn was a little worried about how he was taking this.

"Neville, are you alright?"

Neville looked at her like she was insane and said, "No! No, I am not all right. First my best friend is hearing voices in the walls, that only you and Harry can hear, and then I find out she's an Animagus! And then, the icing on the cake is that she's a Parselmouth! I feel like I don't even know you anymore! I thought we were best friends!"

Devyn was stunned and a little hurt. "We are, Neville," she tried to assure him. "We _are _best friends."

"Yeah? Well, why didn't you tell me this stuff when you found out? Huh? Stuff like this, best friends tell each other!" Neville shouted. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were shocked that Neville was speaking this way to Devyn, but honestly, on some level, Devyn knew she deserved it.

"Neville…" Devyn started softly. "Look, I should have told you. I know that. But be fair, I was twelve when I found out I was an Animagus. I wasn't ready to tell anyone, it wasn't just you. The only reason that Harry, Hermione, and Ron know is because they were there when I transformed the first time. I wasn't deliberately keeping secrets from you. I wasn't! And as for the Parselmouth thing…I've known for a while now."

"How long?" Neville asked. "How long have you known that you can talk to snakes?"

"Since before I met you in Diagon Alley. McGonagall told me when I met her the first time, when she came to tell me that I was a witch. My dad was a Parselmouth, and I inherited the trait."

Her friends were looking at her like they'd never seen her before. "Why…why didn't you tell me?" Hermione asked.

Devyn looked at her and said, "What did you just say to Harry? Hmm? You told him that his being a Parselmouth is 'bad'. Is that the way you think of Parselmouths? As 'bad'?"

"Well, yes," Hermione admitted. "Parseltongue is a Dark gift, Devyn. So, logically –"

"Logically _**nothing**_, Hermione. Look at me! Am I bad? Am I Dark, Hermione? Hmm? NO! Just because I have a trait that is associated with Dark magic doesn't mean that I'm automatically bad! My father wasn't bad! He was always on the side of the Light. Always! And so am I!"

Ron scoffed and said, "Please. You're a wolf Animagus, which makes you practically a werewolf, and you're a Parselmouth. Dark magic is practically oozing out of you!"

"_Ronald!_" Hermione shrieked. She was clearly shocked that Ron would say something like that. Devyn, however, wasn't. She already knew that Ron had _something_ against werewolves, along with most of the Wizarding World as a whole, but she didn't know that Ron's slight prejudice would extend to her.

Ron shrank back even though he was much taller than Devyn when the smaller girl advanced on him. Her voice was deadly low when she spoke. "What did you just say?"

Ron swallowed audibly, but said, in a foolish effort to be brave, "You heard me. Werewolf _and _a Parselmouth? As far as I'm concerned, you're no better than this 'Heir of Slytherin'."

Ron gasped when Devyn's eyes blazed green. Devyn was internally struggling with the rage that was trying to break free. She wanted to hit Ron, hurt him, make him bleed for saying those things – but she wouldn't. Giving into those animalistic urges would just prove Ron right, and that would be ridiculous because Ron was **not **right, in any sense of the word.

Devyn took a deep breath and looked up into Ron's eyes. "Listen to me, you – _little_ – _**maggot**_," she emphasized each word with a shove to Ron's chest that sent him closer and closer into the wall. "Don't you ever – EVER tell me what I am again. Do you understand me? Never! And for the last bloody time, I am **not **a werewolf. Yes, I can turn into a wolf **Animagus**, but that doesn't make me a werewolf. And yes, I'm a Parselmouth, but I am the farthest thing from evil and dark. It's time you **grow up **and get over your **STUPID **prejudices. Now walk away."

"What?" Ron asked, looking at her fearfully. Devyn growled and when she spoke, her voice contained the traces of that growl. "Walk. Away. Now."

Ron shifted sideways and Devyn let him pass. He walked back over to Harry and Hermione and stood just behind them. Devyn took deep breaths to try to calm herself down. She looked at Hermione and said, "**That**," she pointed at Ron, "is EXACTLY why I didn't tell you. Because rubbish like what he just said gets tossed around."

Hermione nodded meekly and Devyn made her way over to Neville. Devyn could Neville was a little frightened of her, but she merely used the rest of her adrenaline to transform into Snow right in front of him. Neville gasped and knelt down next to her immediately. She heard Ron huff and Harry and Hermione breathe in sharply, but she had eyes only for Neville.

Neville reached out a shaky hand and Devyn, or Snow, rather, rubbed her muzzle against it, making Neville laugh a little. He ran a hand through her fur and Devyn closed her now bright green eyes in delight.

"Wow," Hermione said. "I remember petting you right before the chess match, but I never got to see you." Devyn turned to her and Hermione said, "You're beautiful."

Harry nodded and walked forward to her as well. The only one who hung back was Ron, and Snow could tell that it was because he was still afraid of her. No matter, the wolf figured, Ron would come around on his own.

Devyn was aware that her Animagus form had grown a little. She was bigger now and stronger. Not as strong as a werewolf (she wouldn't ever be _that _strong) but she was stronger than she was the previous year.

Devyn turned back to Neville and looked him straight in the eye. "It is you, isn't it, Devyn?" Neville said, although it was more of a statement than a question. "It is really you…"

Neville leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the wolf. Devyn knew that she was warm (her body temperature was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit now) and snuggled into Neville's embrace. She felt Neville grasp her fur tightly, but it wasn't painful. It felt nice and secure. It made her feel safe.

When Neville released her, she transformed back into her human form and hugged Neville tightly. "You see? I'm still me. And I swear no more secrets of my own. I won't keep any more secrets from you…well, at least the secrets that are mine to tell."

Neville nodded and said, "Okay."

"Are we alright, then?" Devyn asked him. Neville nodded and Devyn smiled. "Good. We are best friends after all."

Devyn and Neville stood up and Devyn turned to Harry. "You know…with the whole school knowing that we're Parselmouths, there are going to be a lot of whispers about us. Probably more about you than me, but… anyway, are you prepared for that?"

"Not really, but it won't be any different than before, will it? There were people whispering about me before, and there'll be people whispering about me now."

"Yeah, but this time, they'll be whispering about how you, or I, for that matter, could be the Heir of Slytherin, instead of them whispering about you surviving Voldemort's attack," Ron and Neville winced at the name, but they paid no mind, "or them whispering about me not being dead after all."

Harry shrugged. "Yeah well, just add to the list of things they whisper about already, right?"

Devyn grinned and nodded. "That's the spirit."

Although Devyn thought it was good that Harry was at least partially ready to face the whispers and the rumors that were sure to be circulating, she wasn't entirely sure that she was. Chances were that she'd lose her head at someone sooner or later.

_I mean, look at Ron. It's barely just begun and I already flipped out at him. But I think that was more for the implication that all werewolves are bad. Then again, he doesn't know Moony is a werewolf. If he did, I doubt he'd say that. Or maybe he would. But I certainly won't be the one to tell him. Like I said to Neville, I won't keep secrets that are __**mine **__to tell, but something like that. That's a secret that I will take to my grave if I have to._

* * *

**So, what did you think? I hope you liked it. Please leave a review and be on the lookout for the next chapter. I don't know when it will be up, but I hope it will be soon.**


	16. Chapter 16

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 16**

Devyn had been right. Everywhere she went (and Harry went, for that matter) there were people whispering about her. She tried not to let it bother her, but it wasn't easy, especially when she saw that almost the entire Gryffindor House avoided her and Harry like the plague. The only ones who didn't were Fred, George, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Neville. Ginny however was still acting strangely and it was causing Devyn concern. And Ron…well, Devyn was not on the best of terms with Ron at the moment. She was still upset with him for the awful things he said when he, Neville, and Hermione confronted her and Harry about being Parselmouths.

The rest of Gryffindor, as well as Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw were treating Harry and Devyn as though they were pariahs. The only ones who didn't seem to care all that much were the Slytherins. But then, it wasn't like they had any expectations of her and Harry in the first place, so maybe that was the reason.

Devyn mentally sighed as she tried to focus on her class work. It was one of the study periods that they had in the Great Hall but both Devyn and Harry were finding it difficult to concentrate when they could both feel everyone's eyes burning holes into their backs.

Harry twisted around in his seat to look at some of the people who were staring at him (in this particular instance, it was a group of Hufflepuffs that included Ernie MacMillan, Susan Bones, and Hannah Abbott. Devyn vaguely wondered where Justin Finch-Fletchley was, but didn't have the time to actually ask about him, because Harry said, "I'll see you back in the common room."

He got up and walked off. Devyn looked at Hermione and Neville and they nodded. Devyn also got up and ignored Ron when he asked, "Where are you going?"

She went after Harry at a brisk pace, but stopped dead in tracks when she heard it:

"_**Blood…I want blood…They all must die…Kill…Kill…KILL! Time to kill!**_"

Before she even became aware of what she was doing, Devyn was running after Harry. He wasn't within her line of sight, but she caught his scent and followed it to a corridor. When she rounded the corner, she saw Harry kneeling next to a figure lying on the floor. She looked up and what she saw nearly stopped her heart.

Floating in midair in front of Harry and the figure was Nearly Headless Nick. His head was hanging off his neck and his eyes were wide open. As she drew near, shaking like mad, she saw another thing that made her cold with terror.

The figure lying on the floor was Justin Finch-Fletchley.

"Harry…" Devyn said softly. "What's happened?"

Harry looked up at her and shook his head. "I don't know. I found them like this. I mean, they've been Petrified…but when? It couldn't have been too long ago. I just heard the voice – did you hear it?"

Devyn nodded and said, "Harry, we have to get someone. Anyone. They have to know that Nick and Justin are Petrified."

"Caught in the act!"

Harry and Devyn jumped when they heard a horribly familiar voice. It was Filch.

"I'll have you out this time, Potter. And you, Murphy! Mark my words," Filch said, leering at them horribly before shuffling off.

"No!" Harry exclaimed. "Mr. Filch. Y-You don't understand!" But Filch was already gone.

Less than a minute later, Filch was back – but he wasn't alone. He had McGonagall with him. Devyn almost breathed a sigh of relief. At least it wasn't Snape. McGonagall would hear them out, give them a chance to explain.

"Oh!" McGonagall exclaimed when she laid eyes on the floating figure of Nick, the pale, frozen figure of Justin, and the two students standing before them.

"Professor…" Harry said. "I swear we didn't."

McGonagall looked like she regretted what had happened, but she said, "This is out of my hands, Potter. Come with me."

Devyn and Harry made no objection and followed their Head of House. Devyn was in shock. McGonagall didn't think they had anything to do with Nick and Justin, did she? But if she did, she would think that they had something to with Colin, and Mrs. Norris, too…

They stopped outside of a stone statue set into the wall. It was a large bird – an eagle perhaps, or a phoenix – with its wings outstretched in the shape of a circle, like it was hugging someone. McGonagall gestured to the statue and said, "Professor Dumbledore will be waiting for you."

Harry nodded and the two of them moved towards the statute. Once they were safely inside the statue's cave, for lack of a better word, McGonagall flung out her hands and said, "_Sherbet Lemon._"

Devyn supposed that must have been a password, for the statue started moving at once. It started to ascend and Devyn smiled when she realized that it had become a staircase. She and Harry started walking up the staircase and stopped when they reached a large wooden door.

Devyn pushed it open and Harry said, "Professor Dumbledore…?"

The elderly headmaster was nowhere to be seen, but his office was something to behold. It was round and extremely magnificent. There were curious instruments all around but Devyn was more focused on the beautiful bird that was perched on a stand. It was bright red and golden and was staring intently at Devyn.

She made her way over to the bird and as she got closer, she realized that the bird was actually a phoenix. She started stroking him, but she realized at once that he was very old, and actually dying. She could see it in his dark eyes.

"Bee in your bonnet, Potter?"

Devyn looked around at the voice and saw the Sorting Hat looking down at Harry. Harry looked momentarily surprised for a moment before saying, "I-I…I was…I was just wondering if you'd put me in the right house."

Devyn frowned but didn't interrupt. She knew how insecure Harry was feeling right now, what with the Parseltongue incident, and the discovery of Justin and Nick. Everyone thought he (or Devyn) was the Heir of Slytherin, and that wasn't easy to deal with at all, especially when it was obvious that neither of them were.

"Yes," the Hat replied, "you were particularly difficult to place. But, I stand by what I said last year; you would have done well in Slytherin."

Devyn disagreed but still she said nothing, instead choosing to stroke the Phoenix instead. Harry shook his head and said, "You're wrong."

The Hat made a noise of annoyance but said nothing further. The Phoenix suddenly made a noise, and Devyn smiled when she realized he was calling out to Harry. Harry smiled and walked over to him. He began to pet the phoenix as well but suddenly he seized up and burst into flames. Devyn and Harry watched in horror as the enchanting animal dissolved into ash.

"Harry? Devyn?"

The two children looked up at the sound of Dumbledore's voice. The Headmaster walked down the stairs toward them and Harry said, "Professor! Sir, your bird…there was nothing we could do – he…he just caught fire!"

Dumbledore nodded and said, "Oh, and about time, too. He's been looking dreadful for days. Pity you had to see him on a burning day."

Harry looked utterly confused, but Devyn was nodding. She forgot that Phoenixes burst into flame when they die, and then are reborn from the ashes. They were incredible creatures, really.

"Fawkes," Dumbledore said, "is a Phoenix, Harry. They burst into flame when it is time for them to die, and then they are reborn from the ashes."

Just as Dumbledore was telling Harry this, a little baby Phoenix poked his head out of the ashes and Devyn said, "Oh. Hello, there, Fawkes. Welcome back…"

Dumbledore smiled brightly at her and said, "Ah, fascinating creatures, Phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads and their…their tears have healing powers."

Before Dumbledore could say another word about Fawkes, his office door burst open and Hagrid rushed in, holding a dead rooster by the legs.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir! Wait! Listen! Professor Dumbledore, sir! It wasn't Harry and Devyn."

"Hagrid –" Dumbledore tried to interrupt but Hagrid was on a roll.

"In fact, I'd be prepared ter swear it in front o' the Ministry of Magic!"

"HAGRID!" Dumbledore said loudly. Hagrid stopped and looked at Dumbledore. "Relax. I do not believe that Harry, or Devyn, attacked anyone."

"Well, of course you don't," Hagrid said. He clearly hadn't absorbed a single word Dumbledore just said. Devyn giggled when he realized what Dumbledore told him. "Oh…oh, right. Well, I'll," Hagrid cleared his throat, "I'll just wait outside then."

"Yes," Dumbledore said, as Hagrid backed out of the room. Harry turned to Dumbledore and said, "You don't think it was us, Professor?"

"No, Harry, I do not think it was either of you. But I must ask you, is there something you wish to tell me?"

Devyn thought for a moment about telling Dumbledore everything, but before she could, Harry said, "No, sir. Nothing."

Dumbledore looked briefly at Devyn before nodding. "Very well, then," he said. "Off you go."

As Devyn and Harry walked out of Dumbledore's office and made their way back to Gryffindor Tower, Devyn started getting a very bad feeling about all that had happened. And something inside of her was telling her that she should have told Dumbledore exactly what was happening.


	17. Chapter 17

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 17**

It was finally ready. After a month of preparation, secrecy, and dealing with Myrtle, the Polyjuice Potion was finally ready.

"Everything's set," Hermione told Harry, Ron, and Neville. The Great Hall was decorated for Christmas, and Devyn thought it was beautiful. Considering that it was Christmas, Devyn and Ron had decided to make up. Ron apologized for what he had said, and Devyn forgave him. She forgave, but she didn't forget. She had a feeling there would come a time when Ron's prejudices would resurface. It wasn't his fault – he had been raised that way – to think of werewolves (or apparently wolf Animagi) and Parselmouths as evil – and it was only a matter of time, Devyn knew, before those prejudices popped up again. She didn't forget so that she wouldn't be so hurt and shocked the next time it happened.

About a week back, Moony had written Devyn about Christmas vacation. He wanted to know whether or not she was coming home for Christmas this year. She felt bad doing it, but she knew she had to stay. She'd go home for Easter break instead. She missed Moony dreadfully, but as of right now, the Polyjuice Potion took precedence.

She wrote Moony back and told him that she would stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas break, and he replied saying that he understood. So that was that. Now, she had to admit, she was glad that she was staying. Christmas at Hogwarts was incredible. The Great Hall was decorated with about seven different massive evergreens, decorated with tinsel the colors of the four Houses, and different sized and shaped baubles.

There was also enchanted mistletoe popping up around the castle. Basically, whenever two people crossed under the mistletoe, they were both held there until the two of them shared a kiss. However, she didn't think that the Hogwarts staff was behind that bit of Christmas cheer. Devyn suspected Fred and George were behind it. In fact, she knew they were behind it because she found them laughing their heads off about McGonagall and Flitwick being caught under it.

"Don't tell anyone it was us, Devyn…" Fred had asked of her, still roaring with laughter. George nodded, tears streaming down his face.

"Yeah, it's only a harmless prank," George added. Devyn laughed and said, "Don't worry. I won't say anything, guys."

"Cheers, Devyn," they replied.

Bringing herself back into the present time, she heard Hermione say, "We just need a bit of who you're changing into."

"Crabbe and Goyle," Harry replied firmly. Devyn nodded and said, "We also need to make sure that the real Crabbe and Goyle can't burst in on us while we're interrogating Malfoy."

"How?" Ron asked.

"We've got it all worked out," Hermione said. She held up two cupcakes. Devyn thought this part of the plan was rather mischievous, and the Marauder in her loved it. "I filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught."

"Simple," Devyn agreed, "but powerful."

"Now," Hermione continued. "Once they're asleep, hide them in the broomstick cupboard and pull out a few of their hairs, and put on their uniforms."

Ron looked thoroughly disgusted about the fact that they had to rip out Crabbe and Goyle's hair. "Whose hair are you ripping out then?" he asked. Devyn and Hermione smirked and held up identical plastic cylindrical containers.

"We've already got ours. Millicent Bulstrode, Slytherin. I got this off her robes," Hermione said. Devyn nodded and said, "Pansy Parkinson, also Slytherin."

"I'm going to go check on the Polyjuice Potion," Hermione said. She started to leave and then backtracked and gave the cupcakes to Devyn.

"Make sure Crabbe and Goyle find these."

"Got it," Devyn told her. She sat down at the table with the boys and grinned at them. She looked at Neville, who had been utterly silent this whole time.

"All right, Nev?" Devyn asked. Neville shrugged and said, "Yeah, I suppose. Just…be careful, Devyn. If you get found out, who knows what Malfoy will do? I just don't want you to get hurt."

Devyn smiled at her best friend. "Neville, try not to worry. If it's any consolation, I'm a lot stronger and faster than Malfoy. Not to mention, smarter, more talented with a wand…need I continue?"

Neville grinned and said, "All right, so you've got him beat. But don't forget, he won't be the only Slytherin there. There are bound to be other Slytherins – older Slytherins, and pardon me for saying so, but Slytherins that know far more advanced and darker magic than you Devyn."

Neville had a good point there, Devyn conceded. "Don't worry, Neville. We'll be fine."

Devyn smiled at Neville frowned. "I hope so. Can't lose you, Devyn. I'd be lost without you," Neville told her. Devyn smiled and put her hand on Neville's. Neither of them noticed Harry and Ron sharing a look that said, "_What is going on with these two?_"

* * *

"All right. I'll be waiting up in the common room for you," Neville said as he bid them goodbye. "Please, **please **be careful." He said this more to Devyn than Harry and Ron, but the boys didn't really care. Even they were starting to see the makings of something between the two close friends.

"I will. I promise," Devyn replied. Neville pulled her into a hug and Devyn happily returned it. He was acting like this was the last time he would ever see Devyn, and it was a little weird. She supposed Neville was just worried, but still…

Everything would be fine. Granted, she and three other Gryffindors would be alone with possibly a lot of Slytherins, while under the disguise of a potion that was illegal at Hogwarts, but…well, she was sure everything would be perfectly okay.

"Okay, Crabbe and Goyle should be coming this way any moment," Neville said. "I'll see you later." With one last glance at Devyn, he deposited the cupcakes on the ground, where one of them would enchant them to float in the air and left Devyn, Harry, and Ron to hide behind a large statue.

They poked their heads around to see if anyone was coming, and when they were sure no one was, Ron cleared his throat and raised his wand.

"Ah, Ron, maybe I should do it?" Harry said, eyeing Ron's broken wand apprehensively. Occasionally it shot out random sparks that could either turn something into a bunch of flowers, or set it on fire. Needless to say, it was really unpredictable and possibly dangerous.

Ron looked at his wand and said, "Yeah, right." He lowered his wand and Harry stepped forward.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" Harry cast the spell and the two small cupcakes rose into the air. "Here they come," Harry warned. The three of them quickly hid behind the statue just as Crabbe and Goyle came around the corner.

"It's good right?" Crabbe was saying to Goyle. They both had their arms full of sweets and pastries, but immediately dropped them when they laid eyes on the floating cupcakes.

"Aw, cool!" Crabbe said. The two of them grabbed the cupcakes out of the air, breaking the spell and stuffed them into their mouths. Within seconds, their satisfied grins faded and were replaced with looks of confusion and drowsiness.

They keeled over and hit the ground hard, completely knocked out.

"How thick can you get?" Ron asked of no one in particular. Devyn nodded and Harry said, "Come on, let's get them."

A few minutes of pulling, heaving, and swearing later, Crabbe and Goyle were safely tucked away where they would be seen by no one and Harry and Ron had their hairs, and the robes.

They high-tailed it to Myrtle's bathroom and met Hermione there.

"Ready?" Devyn asked them all. They nodded and each of them went into their own stall to change into the robes. They met back outside near the sinks and each looked down on the gurgling potion with varying degrees of disgust on their faces.

It was very thick and bubbly, and resembled mud. Hermione poured them each a glass of the potion and said, "We'll have exactly one hour before we change back into ourselves. Add the hairs…"

They dropped the hairs into their glasses and the potion immediately started changing colors. Hermione's changed into an odd green color. It wasn't quite a bogie green, like Harry's, but it wasn't a dark green like Devyn's either. It was somewhere in between, whereas Ron's turned a yellowish green color.

Ron grimaced and said, "Ugh, essence of Crabbe."

Hermione took a deep breath and said, "Cheers," before chugging a portion of her glass. The other three did the same, but before long, Ron dropped his glass and said, "I think I'm gonna be sick!"

He ran off toward the stall and Hermione followed shortly after saying, "Me, too." Now, only Harry and Devyn remained. They both tried to keep drinking the potion, but then they both dropped their glasses as well.

The glass shattered when it came in contact with the floor and the two each bent over the sinks before them. Devyn couldn't get the taste of the potion out of her mouth quickly enough. It was awful; it tasted curiously like dirt and…Devyn couldn't be sure, but she thought it tasted also of eggs, which made for a really nasty sensory overload.

Devyn coughed and tried to keep the contents of her stomach where they were, and before long, she started to change. She grew slightly taller; her hair grew longer and darker. Her eyes became green and she could feel her facial structure rearranging itself under her skin. Devyn could hear Harry shifting around uncomfortably and coughing repeatedly. She gasped when the sensation finally stopped and looked up into the mirror.

The face looking back at her was not her own, but one she never wanted to see reflected again. She now had the appearance of the pug-faced Pansy Parkinson and standing next to her, towering over her was Gregory Goyle.


	18. Chapter 18

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 18**

"Harry?" Devyn, who now resembled Pansy Parkinson, asked. The tall form of Gregory Goyle, who was wearing Harry's glasses, looked down at her and said, "Devyn? This is…blimey, this is weird."

Devyn nodded and checked her reflection again. She wasn't trying to be mean, or shallow, but Pansy Parkinson was not the fairest of them all, let's say.

"Uh…Harry? Devyn?"

The two whirled around at Ron's voice, but were not met with the sight of their red-haired friend. Instead, they saw the short and stocky Vincent Crabbe, looking very perplexed.

"Ron!" they both said. Even though Devyn was starting to get used to the effects of the Polyjuice Potion, it was still bizarre to hear her friends' voices coming out of her rivals' mouths.

"Bloody hell!" Ron commented. Harry frowned and said, "We still sound like ourselves. You need to sound more like Crabbe…"

Ron frowned and tried again, deepening his voice a little. "Uh…bloody hell."

"Excellent. And you need to sound like Pansy, Devyn."

Devyn sighed but made her voice more nasally and more snobby and said, "Hello, I'm Pansy Parkinson. You're not good enough to lick my boots."

Ron and Harry burst out laughing but Devyn said, in her own voice, "But where's Hermione? Hermione, come on, we've got to go!"

"I-I don't think I'm coming," Hermione said. "You go on without me."

The three of them frowned and Harry said, "Hermione, are you okay?"

"Just go," Hermione replied. "You're wasting time."

Devyn, Harry and Ron looked and each other and Ron shrugged. Harry sighed and said, "Come on."

Harry dashed off and Devyn and Ron followed after him.

They wandered around for a bit, trying to figure out where they needed to go. Ron foolishly asked a girl he didn't even know where 'their' (meaning the Slytherin common room) was, and the girl turned out to be Penelope Clearwater, a Hufflepuff.

"What's the matter with you, Ron?" Devyn asked him. "What, the badger on her robes and the black and yellow tie wasn't enough of a giveaway?"

"Shut up," Ron said, his ears going pink. Devyn took a deep breath and tried to calm down. She was getting stressed out and, she supposed, it had been an honest mistake. The girl wouldn't think anything of it, anyway, considering the combined intelligence levels of Pansy, Goyle, and Crabbe probably amounted to that of a rock.

_Wait, no…that's not right, _Devyn thought. _That would be an insult to rocks._

"I think the Slytherin common room's this way," Harry said, clearly trying to be the mediator between them. But the argument was over; there were more important things at hand right now.

"Okay," Ron said and followed Harry's lead. Devyn walked along after them but nearly had the urge to turn right back around and walk away when she saw who appeared at the end of the hall they were investigating.

It was none other than Percy Weasley, every night time wanderer's worst nightmare, second only to Filch himself.

"Excuse me," Percy started when he saw them. Devyn immediately assumed a pretentious and snobby expression she saw far too often on Pansy's face to forget it in a hurry.

"What are you d-?" Ron questioned in his face before Harry hit him lightly and he caught himself. "I mean, what are you doing down here?"

Percy narrowed his eyes suspiciously for a moment at the pitch change in Ron's voice before saying, "I happen to be a school prefect. You, on the other hand, have no business wandering the corridors at this time of night. What are your names again?"

Usually Devyn would try to restrain herself from making annoyed faces when Percy got like this, purely because he was Ron's brother, but as she was now impersonating Pansy, she had no such qualms. The face she made would have put the real Pansy Parkinson to shame.

"It's really none of your concern, Weasley," Devyn told him. Her imitation of Pansy's voice was almost completely spot-on. At the very l east, Percy wouldn't be able to recognize Devyn's voice buried within.

Percy looked like he was about to write her up, with or without her name, but then they heard a voice that Devyn thought, quite honestly, she'd never be happy to hear.

"Crabbe, Goyle! Where have you two been?"

Malfoy himself came strutting down the hall. When he reached 'Crabbe' and 'Goyle', he continued his sentence.

"Pigging out in the Great Hall all this time? And where have you been, Pansy?"

"I was looking for these two, what do you think I was doing?" Devyn told him. Malfoy seemed to take no notice of her sassiness, so it was logical to assume Pansy was like this regularly.

"Why are you wearing glasses, Goyle?" Malfoy asked Harry. Harry frowned and removed his glasses.

"Oh, uh…reading."

Malfoy looked surprised for a moment before saying, "Reading? I didn't know you could read."

The blonde nuisance shook off his surprise and turned to Percy with an ugly sneer on his face. "And what are you doing down here, Weasley?"

"Mind your attitude, Malfoy," Percy growled. Malfoy raised his eyebrows and smirked. He walked past Percy and beckoned for Devyn, Harry, and Ron, who he thought were his 'gang' members, to follow him.

Harry and Ron lumbered after Malfoy, and in true Pansy Parkinson fashion, Devyn shouldered past the two to walk with Malfoy. She winked at Harry and Ron as she went by to let them know she was only trying to stay in character. Malfoy smirked at her and she gave him a very sloppy grin that she hoped she'd never have to do again.

* * *

When they finally reached the Slytherin common room, Devyn was surprised at its décor. She expected it to be slimy and gross, perhaps even a bit creepy, but in fact, it was quite elegant. It had nothing on the Gryffindor common room, but it wasn't bad.

There was a casting of eerie green light everywhere, but it wasn't spooky – it was just green. Most everything was made of cold stone, but there was a warm fire roaring in the fireplace. The couches were made from black leather, as were the seats, and the furniture was made a dark wood. All in all, it was actually quite a graceful looking common room, if a little austere.

Keeping perfectly in character, she sat down in one of the chairs, making herself comfortable. Malfoy took no notice of this because Harry and Ron, or rather Crabbe and Goyle, were standing around looking awkward.

"Well, sit down," Malfoy commanded. Harry and Ron immediately perched on the couch. Malfoy himself had already plopped down onto one of the other sofas.

"You'd never know the Weasleys were pure-bloods, the way they behave. Or that Murphy girl. They're embarrassments to the Wizarding World, all of them," Malfoy said. Devyn had already learned to ignore most of Malfoy's spites against her, but felt herself tense up and had to resist pummeling him when he insulted the Weasleys. From what she could see, Ron was having that same problem, because he was clenching his fist and death-glaring Malfoy.

"What's wrong with you, Crabbe?" Malfoy asked, frowning at him. Harry nudged him and Ron eased up on the stormy expression.

"Stomachache," Ron said, offering no other explanation. However, Malfoy bought it and continued on his very rude musings.

"You know, I'm surprised that the Daily Prophet hasn't done a report on all of these attacks. I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. Father always said that Dumbledore was the worst thing to ever happen to this place."

Devyn felt the need to violently correct Malfoy, but she knew better than to do so. They were here to question Malfoy, not to contradict him about his backwards beliefs.

However, Harry clearly felt differently, or perhaps he couldn't control himself, because he immediately shouted, "You're wrong!"

Malfoy looked taken aback before he stood up and towered over Harry, although had he stood up, Harry would have been the one towering over Malfoy.

"_What_?" Malfoy asked. "You think there's someone here who's _worse _than Dumbledore?"

Ron shook his head, but Harry bowed his head and did some quick thinking.

"Well? Do you?" Malfoy persisted.

"Harry Potter?" he suggested. Backing him up, Devyn added her own name to the mix.

"Devyn Murphy?" She managed to say her own name with a certain level of derision and disgust, which she thought was a nice touch. She wondered if she should be worried that she could play the part of a Slytherin so convincingly.

Malfoy seemingly liked their answers because he calmed down and smirked. "Good one, Goyle, and you, Pansy. You're absolutely right. _Saint Potter_…and _Princess Murphy_…and people **actually** think that one of them might be the Heir of Slytherin?"

Devyn quirked an eyebrow. _Now we might be getting somewhere._

"But then," Harry said, "you must have some idea who's behind it all…"

Malfoy walked over to a desk where a wrapped box was resting and picked it up. "You know I don't Goyle. I told you yesterday. How many times do I have to tell you?"

Devyn tried to mask her disappointment as Malfoy shook the small box and asked Harry, "Is this yours?"

When Harry shook his head, Malfoy proceeded in pocketing the small box. Devyn rolled her eyes at Malfoy's petty thievery. However, she dismissed this annoyance when Malfoy said, "But my father did say this. It's been fifty years since the Chamber was opened. He wouldn't tell me who opened it, only that they were expelled. The last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died…"

Devyn curled her lip in anger when Malfoy used that awful word.

"So, it's only a matter of time, before one of them is killed this time. As for me…I hope its Granger."

At those words, Ron lunged at Malfoy, but was held back by Harry. Devyn was struggling very much not to rip Malfoy's throat out where he stood, but managed to quell her anger long enough to ensure that she wouldn't commit murder.

"What's the matter with you two? You're acting very…odd," Malfoy asked, slightly alarmed. Trying to sound bored, Devyn said, "It's just his stomachache, Draco."

Harry nodded and turned to Ron and quietly said, "Calm down."

But then, calm was impossible. Ron's hair began to change from light brown to bright red, and Harry's scar began to reappear. Devyn was sure that her hair was getting lighter and her eyes were going back to their normal ice blue. Luckily, Malfoy saw none of this because he had just then opted to unwrap the small package he had stolen.

Devyn nonchalantly made her way over to the other two as Ron said, in horrified voice, "S-Scar…"

Harry reached up and felt his forehead, clearly able to feel the damaged skin. "H-Hair," Harry replied. Ron looked up and felt his hair, which was growing longer and redder at an alarming pace.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Devyn whispered, trying to remain calm. She, Harry, and Ron booked it out of there, not bothering to answer Malfoy's cries of "Hey! Where are you going?"

They didn't stop running until they reached Myrtle's bathroom, and by that time, they were themselves again. Devyn checked her reflection, quite glad that she was no longer looking at the pug-faced visage of Pansy Parkinson.

Devyn let out a sigh of relief and Ron said, "That was close."

Devyn nodded and made her way towards the stall that Hermione was still in. "Hermione, come out!"

"We've got loads to tell you," Harry said.

But Hermione only said, "Go away!"

Devyn frowned as Myrtle floated out and told them, "Oh, wait till you see. It's awful."

Myrtle sounded far too happy about it, though, for Devyn to be at ease. She floated off, cackling happily.

"Hermione? Are you okay?" Harry asked. He pushed open the door and Ron and Devyn's eyes widened at the sight before them.

"Do you remember me telling you, that the Polyjuice Potion was only for human transformations?"

Harry squinted and put his glasses back on before gaping at Hermione.

"It was cat hair I plucked off of Millicent Bulstrode's robes." Hermione turned around and looked at them. "Look at my face."

Hermione now possessed the appearance of a cat. Her entire face was fuzzy, and her eyes glowed like the full moon on a clear night. Her ears had been moved to the top of her head and were now pointed. She was a giant human-cat hybrid.

Devyn said nothing, because she wasn't really sure what to say, but Ron said, with a laugh, "Look at your tail!"

Behind them, Myrtle screeched with glee loudly. Devyn just hugged Hermione. Hermione let out a purr and Devyn backed away slightly.

"Sorry. I don't know how to control it."

"It's okay," Devyn said, moving back in for a hug. "Madam Pomfrey will get you sorted."

"But how are we gonna explain **this **to her?"

Devyn didn't know the answer to that, but chances were, Madam Pomfrey had seen something like this before. She'd know what to do.


	19. Chapter 19

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 19**

It had been about two weeks since the Polyjuice Potion expedition and Hermione still hadn't been transformed back to normal. Devyn, however, had no fears about Hermione's eventual recovery. Madam Pomfrey was taking good care of her, and besides, Pomfrey had probably seen it all, perhaps too much, to really be stumped by anything anymore.

Luckily, she didn't really ask how Hermione ended up with fur on her face. Instead, she just shook her head and said, "It never ceases to amaze me what you students will end up doing."

Devyn felt Madam Pomfrey probably had a good idea what they had been doing, but fortunately, she either didn't care, or she simply felt it wasn't any of her business. Her only concern, it seemed, was returning Hermione back to her original state.

"Have you spoken to Hermione?" Neville asked as he, Devyn, Harry and Ron trudged up one of the many staircases. Devyn nodded and Harry said, "She should be out of the hospital in a few days, when she stops coughing up fur balls."

Ron chuckled and Devyn rolled her eyes good-naturedly. Ron had found this entire debacle hilariously amusing, but Hermione didn't, and had already chewed him out for laughing. So now Ron laughed about it only when Hermione wasn't around.

Devyn had to admit, it was a rather funny turn of events, but she also knew that it could have been much worse, and if they had been dealing with a lesser medical professional, Hermione's current state could have been permanent.

Aside from Hermione, Devyn was also worrying a little about Ginny. She had tried to talk to the youngest Weasley, to try and find out what was bothering her, but she seemed reluctant to talk. Then again, it wasn't really surprising, as Ginny barely knew Devyn at all. They had only spoken a few times in the last two years, but Devyn wished that Ginny could trust her with whatever was making her so anxious all the time.

Needless to say, Devyn was quite concerned about Ginny and her wolf senses were raising about a million red flags. Something wasn't right – aside from the attacks on Mrs. Norris, Colin, Justin, and Nick. And then a thought occurred to Devyn; Ginny wasn't somehow involved with the attacks, was she? Ginny was a pureblood, but the Weasleys were considered a family of blood traitors, a term that made Devyn roll her eyes very often. So why would Ginny, a Weasley, be attacking Muggleborns, a ghost, and a cat? Why would Ginny have daubed a message in blood, announcing that the Chamber had been opened?

It didn't make any sense, but something was off about this whole thing - about Ginny, about the attacks, about the messages…everything.

Devyn was shaken from her musings when she felt something wet encompass her feet. She looked down only to notice in surprise that she was no longer on the staircases, but in a hallway, whose floors were flooded.

"Yuck," Ron said, looking around in disgust. Neville nodded in agreement, but also looked rather confused.

For that, Devyn couldn't blame him. Why was the floor flooded -?

But just then, she picked up a faint sound – what was it? It sounded like someone crying, but who - ?

"Myrtle," Devyn whispered to herself. She started down the hallway towards the sound just as Harry said, "Looks like Moaning Myrtle's flooded the bathroom."

Anyone who knew anything about Myrtle, knew that while she had a flair for being overdramatic, she also never did **anything **like this unless she was extremely, extremely upset. But what could have happened that made Myrtle **this **upset, and by the sound of it, **this **depressed?

The four of them made their way to Myrtle's bathroom, and found the source of the flooding quite easily. It looked like in her despair, Myrtle might have accidentally turned on all the faucets, and flooded the sinks, which then in turn flooded the floors and the hallway.

Myrtle herself was sitting up in the circular window near the top of the ceiling, crying rather loudly. She looked up when she heard their footsteps.

"Oh… come to throw something else at me?" Myrtle asked in a shaky voice. For some reason, she was looking right at Harry.

"Why would I throw something at you?" Harry asked. Devyn raised her eyebrows. So that's what made Myrtle so upset. Someone had thrown something at her. Part of Myrtle's life-after-death story included the game that some students had come up with years back that was made up of throwing various objects at Myrtle, and getting points for which parts of her body the objects went through.

"Don't ask me!" Myrtle shrieked. "Here I was, minding my own business, and someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me."

"Oh, Myrtle…you know we wouldn't do that," Devyn said to her. Myrtle looked at Devyn, silver tears in her dead eyes.

"_You _wouldn't," Myrtle said, pointing at Devyn. "But I don't know about _them_."

"They wouldn't either, Myrtle, I swear –" Devyn began to say, but Ron interrupted her.

"But, it can't hurt if someone throws something at you. I mean, it'll just go right through you."

"Ron!" Devyn scolded him. But it turned out, she didn't have to because just then, Myrtle swooped down on him.

"WELL, SURE! LET'S ALL THROW THINGS AT MYRTLE BECAUSE SHE CAN'T FEEL IT! TEN POINTS IF IT GOES THROUGH HER STOMACH!" Myrtle put her ghostly fist right through Ron's midsection and he gasped.

"FIFTY POINTS IF IT GOES THROUGH HER **HEAD!**" Myrtle screamed, as she put her fist through Ron's forehead. Sensing that Ron was terrified now and had learned his lesson, Harry said, "But who through it at you, anyway?"

Myrtle calmed down when she heard Harry's voice. This surprised Devyn, but then, Harry _did _have a certain…calming and secure vibe about him. And it also probably helped that Harry was the nicest boy Myrtle had probably ever met.

"I don't know," Myrtle said. "I didn't see them. I was just sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death, and it fell through the top of my head." Myrtle nodded and burst into fresh howling tears. She immediately fled and dived back into her toilet.

Devyn felt immensely bad for Myrtle; the poor girl had been bullied in life, and she was bullied in death, too. It was no wonder that Myrtle was so sensitive and depressed all the time. Devyn looked around in time to see Harry bend over and pick up something from the watery floor.

"What's that, Harry?" Devyn asked him. He turned around and showed her the thing he'd picked up silently. She took it from him and looked at it.

It was a book, like Myrtle had said, but it was smaller and thinner than a textbook would have been. It was more like the size of a journal, and it was completely black except for the gold-colored metal corners on the edge of the cover. Devyn opened it and flipped through the pages. She frowned in confusion; it was utterly empty. Not even so much as a date, or a note demanding for people to keep out, just nothing.

Although, as Devyn turned it over to inspect it further, she noticed that there was a small inscription on the back cover.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle," it read. Devyn mouthed the words and she got a weird feeling about it. Something about this name didn't sit right with her, like a lot of things these days.

She handed the book back to Harry, who pocketed it, and said, "Come on, let's get out of here."

* * *

A couple of days later, Devyn woke up in the middle of the night and found herself unable to go back to sleep. So, she got out of bed and went downstairs to the common room.

Oddly enough, she found she wasn't the only one who was awake – Harry was sitting at one of the tables, fully clothed, pouring over the book they'd found in Myrtle's bathroom.

"Harry?" Devyn said. The messy-haired boy jumped and looked up at her.

"What are you doing up, Devyn?" Harry asked. Devyn shrugged and said, "Couldn't sleep. You?"

"Same. This book keeps bothering me. I think it's a diary, actually, and something about it won't leave me alone."

Devyn nodded. "It's weird, isn't it - that this Riddle bloke went to all the trouble of inscribing his name on the back but never wrote anything in it?"

Harry nodded and looked at the name on the back. "Tom Marvolo Riddle," he said. Devyn frowned and said, "Maybe you should try writing something in it…"

Harry raised an eyebrow but shrugged and picked up a quill regardless. He dipped it in the inkwell and was just about to write something when a drop of ink fell down onto the paper – it disappeared completely within seconds.

"What the -?" Devyn gasped. She'd never seen anything like it. The ink blot was just gone. There was no trace of it at all, as though it had never been there. Harry put the quill back into the inkpot and tried again.

"My name is Harry Potter," he said, as he wrote it down in the diary. Just as before, within seconds after Harry finished writing, his message disappeared and was replaced by more elegant handwriting.

"_Hello Harry Potter_," the diary's message said. "_My name is Tom Riddle. Who is your friend there?_"

Devyn widened her eyes. This thing knew she was here. How?

"Harry, I don't like this. I _really _don't like this. It's a diary. How does it know I'm here?" Devyn said, nervously. Harry shrugged and wrote, "Her name is Devyn Murphy."

"_Hello, Devyn Murphy_," the diary returned. Devyn gulped and glared at it. This was wrong, this was so wrong.

Harry put the quill to the paper again and said, as he wrote, "Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?"

"_Yes_," the diary wrote.

Harry almost smiled. Devyn, despite herself, couldn't help thinking that maybe they would start getting somewhere with the deadly mystery of the Chamber of Secrets.

"Can you tell me?" Harry said and wrote.

"_No,_" the diary messaged. Harry frowned and looked defeated for a moment before more writing appeared.

"_But I can show you. Let me take you back fifty years ago."_

The pages of the diary started blowing in a certain direction, as though someone else was controlling them. Devyn backed away slightly, wary of the thing, but also slightly intrigued. The pages finally stopped and in the right hand corner of yet another empty page, a date appeared.

_13__th __June_

The crevasse where the two pages met in the middle started glowing with a golden light and Devyn's eyes went almost impossibly wide.

Before she knew it, she and Harry had been pulled _into _the diary pages.

When they landed, Devyn immediately looked around her. Everything was in varying shades of grey, like an old movie.

"Where the bloody hell are we?" she said. "When the hell are we?"

* * *

**Dun, dun, dun. Oh, look, Harry and Devyn are in Riddle's memory. And everyone knows what they're about to find out. Keep an eye out for the next chapter, when Devyn and Harry discover who 'really' opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago.**


	20. Chapter 20

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 20**

"Harry? What is going on? Where are we?" Devyn asked, clearly freaked out. Harry shrugged, looking equally worried.

"I don't know, Devyn. But look, there's someone there."

Devyn looked around, and sure enough, there was another person there. He was a student by the looks of his clothing. He was four or five years older than Devyn and Harry, and his black hair was styled to perfection. Despite his snobby expression, he was rather handsome.

_Could this be Tom Riddle?_ Devyn thought. It was possible. Clearly this was his memory, since they had, somehow, been sucked into _his _diary.

As the two out-of-place children walked forward towards the young man, Harry said, "Excuse me, could you tell me what's going on here?"

Harry received no answer.

"Are you Tom Riddle?" Devyn asked him. Harry looked intrigued as he realized that this probably was Riddle himself. However, they couldn't be certain of his identity because Devyn didn't get an answer from him either.

Either Riddle was being rude and ignoring them, or he couldn't hear them. Since this was a memory, the latter was probably more likely - he simply couldn't hear them because they hadn't been present at the time that the memory was forged.

"Hello, can you hear us?" Harry asked. Devyn shook her head, and then her vision was dragged towards a group of wizards holding what looked like a gurney. They walked forward and right past Riddle. The young man turned and looked at the gurney.

Devyn gasped quietly when she realized that on the gurney was a person, although she had been covered up by a sheet. Devyn realized it was a girl when her hand came loose of the sheet and dangled over the edge of the gurney. It was a distinctly female-looking hand.

"Riddle!" a commanding voice said. All three children turned towards the voice, but only one went forward. "Come."

Devyn's eyes went wide when she realized that this was Dumbledore - a Dumbledore fifty years younger than the one she knew, but still it was Dumbledore.

"Professor Dumbledore," Riddle replied, as he walked up the staircase toward the younger (but still much older than any present here) Headmaster.

"Dumbledore," Harry whispered. Devyn followed him as they both moved up the stairs as well. Although she had had it since they got here, the knot in her stomach was growing. Something - she didn't know what - but something was very wrong here. It felt fake...this memory. And Riddle. There was something in his dark eyes she really didn't like.

The way he looked at the dead girl on the gurney scared her. There was no grief, or pity in his eyes - not even mild interest - nothing...nothing except a second-long flash of...what was it? Satisfaction? Maybe that was it. But why would he be satisfied that the girl was dead, whoever she was.

Unless...unless Riddle had something to do with the girl's death. This time period, Devyn figured, was the time that the Chamber had been opened the first time. What if Riddle had something to do with it?

Somewhere in her, she found a space between her swirling thought and sense of something being very wrong, to be happy that she was right about Malfoy. Or at least, Ron's theory had been squashed. Lucius Malfoy had been at Hogwarts during the late 60's and 70's. He had been at school when Moony and her parents had been.

This had taken place in 1942, or somewhere around there it seemed. There was no way that Malfoy could have opened the Chamber now. In fact, she didn't even think Malfoy, Sr. had been born yet, when this had happened.

Devyn snapped back to reality when she heard Dumbledore's voice.

"It is not wise to be wandering around this late hour, Tom."

Devyn silently agreed with past-Dumbledore. A girl had died as a result of the Chamber being opened. What made Riddle safe, unless he was the one behind it. If he was the puppet-master of the first attack, then that would give Riddle reason enough to believe he was safe from the monster, which would in turn give him no fear, or concern, in wandering around the school at late hours.

Devyn's suspicion that Riddle was behind the first attacks, and then therefore connected to the more recent attacks, only grew.

"Yes, Professor," Riddle said. His voice was very smooth, Devyn noted. Almost too smooth, like he was constantly slithering around doing things he shouldn't while at the same time fooling everyone else into thinking he was innocent. Like he engineered his voice to be convincingly innocent. This didn't do anything to quell her suspicion of Riddle.

"I suppose I...I had to see for myself if the rumors were true," Riddle said. Dumbledore nodded slightly and said, "I'm afraid they are, Tom. They are true."

For the first time, Riddle looked mildly concerned. "About the school as well? I don't have a home to go to; they wouldn't really close Hogwarts, would they Professor?"

_Closing Hogwarts? The attacks in this time must have been really bad for this to happen, _Devyn thought. She wondered if the attacks were this serious this time - would they close the school?

"I understand, Tom. But I'm afraid Headmaster Dippet -" Devyn frowned when she realized that Dumbledore wasn't Headmaster in this time; it was very hard to see him as anything else besides the Headmaster of Hogwarts - "may have no choice."

"Sir, if it all stopped...if the person responsible was caught..." Tom started. Dumbledore looked at Tom strangely and asked, "Is there something you wish to tell me?"

"No, sir. Nothing," Riddle replied.

Devyn was chilled to the bone when the parallels between her and Harry's conversation with Dumbledore only a short time ago, and the conversation between Riddle and Dumbledore came to light. Harry and Riddle gave exactly the same answers.

That was weird, at the very best...at the worst, it was...it was a sign of something bad to come. Devyn didn't know where that feeling came from, but she knew, deep in her heart, it was true.

Dumbledore gave Riddle one of his soul-piercing looks and Riddle looked momentarily worried - but then Dumbledore nodded and said, "Very well, then. Off you go."

"Good night, sir," Riddle said.

He went off and Harry and Devyn followed him. They walked through the black and white corridors of the school they knew and loved, following Riddle every step of the way.

"Harry, there's something not right here. There's something about this Riddle that I really don't like."

"Devyn, we're finally getting somewhere with the Chamber. We can't give up now," Harry replied. Devyn sighed and shook her head.

"I want to figure this out as much as you do, but my instinct is telling me **this is wrong. **As far as I know, my instincts haven't been wrong yet. Maybe they've been a little off, but generally speaking, they've always been right. "

Harry huffed. "I know that, Devyn, but it isn't like we can just pop back out whenever we want. I think we have to stay here until the memory is done. We can't do anything."

"I know that," Devyn almost snapped. She took a deep breath and calmed herself. She could feel Snow starting to come out. She had a good grip on controlling when Snow came out and when she didn't, but when she got worked up, that sense of control could slip.

"I know Harry. All I'm saying is try not to take everything here at face value. Something is wrong here, I know it. I just don't know what."

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked. "What's wrong?"

Devyn was hesitant to tell Harry her suspicions of Riddle, but he was the only one she could tell right now. She would confide in Neville later, but right now, Harry was the only one here.

"Harry, I think...I think Riddle might be behind this. Or be involved in it."

"You don't have any proof of that," Harry told her. Devyn nodded and said, "Yes, but Harry...you didn't see his face when they brought that girl past. There was nothing."

"So?"

"So? Harry, most people would have been horrified, or at least show pity, that a fellow classmate was dead. He showed nothing. Nothing except a glimpse of something. I think it was satisfaction, but I'm not sure. But what I do know is that anyone who wasn't involved would not have been looking at her as coldheartedly as Riddle was."

"Look, Devyn. I understand you're concerned. We're in a strange place..."

"Harry, we're in Hogwarts. It isn't strange. I know Hogwarts. We're in a strange _time_."

"Whatever. We aren't where we should be and you're nervous. I get it. But right now, Riddle is the only one who is guiding us through this place. We should stop asking questions and just follow him."

Devyn stopped dead. Harry turned around and said, "What are you doing? Come on!"

Devyn started walking again and when she was back at Harry's side, she glanced up at Riddle and then at Harry.

"You know, what you just said. That's probably how his followers talk."

"Who's?" Harry asked, looking confused.

"Voldemort's."

"What?!" Harry exclaimed. Devyn shrugged and said, "Don't ask questions, follow him blindly. That's probably what they say to each other. Before they become completely brainwashed anyway."

"So now you're comparing Riddle to Voldemort?" Harry asked incredulously. Devyn drew herself up to her full height (which wasn't much, although she was maybe a quarter of an inch taller than Harry now) and said, "Yes. Yes I am. Something about Riddle isn't right. I don't know what, but I know there is something wrong here. Very wrong. You can ignore me if you want. But I won't ignore my instincts, no matter what you say."

The rest of the walk was silent, for mainly two reasons. Harry was confused, trying to see where Devyn was coming from, and Devyn simply felt she made her point and no longer had anything to say.

They finally reached the dungeons when Riddle started looking around him to see if anyone was watching him.

And of course, two people were, but not two people he was concerned about, nor did he even know were there. They were only visitors in this memory, so they didn't matter. Riddle opened a large wooden door.

"Come on, let's get yeh outta there."

Devyn and Harry both froze when they heard a very familiar voice coming from inside the room that Riddle just revealed to them. For the first time, Devyn noticed Riddle had his wand at the ready. Her feeling that something was wrong here grew to colossal proportions.

"Evening, Hagrid," Riddle said. The much younger Hagrid jumped and turned around, shutting a large wooden trunk in the process.

"I'm going to have to turn you in, Hagrid," Riddle said, advancing on Hagrid, who was backed into a corner, trying to protect his wooden trunk, which obviously held something of importance to their gigantic friend. Devyn wondered if it was another of his pet monsters. Hopefully it wasn't a dragon, like Norbert had been.

"I don't think you meant it to kill anyone, Hagrid -"

"You can't!" Hagrid finally spoke. Aside from hearing Dumbledore's voice, Hagrid's voice was the only familiar thing here and it relaxed Devyn slightly. However, her anger started rising when she realized that Riddle was accusing Hagrid of being responsible for the death of that girl.

Hagrid wouldn't ever kill anyone, not ever. That Devyn believed with the whole of her heart.

"You don't understand!" Hagrid said to Riddle, who was still pointing his wand at Hagrid.

"The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow; the least Hogwarts can do is make sure that the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered, Hagrid," Riddle said. Devyn had to admit, that was a convincing argument, but Hagrid was **not **in any way responsible for the death of that girl.

"It wasn't him. Aragog never killed no one, never!" Hagrid protested.

_Who's Aragog?_ Devyn wondered. She hoped that Aragog wasn't another dragon, although she highly doubted it was.

"Monster don't make good pets, Hagrid," Riddle said. Devyn had to admit that this, also, was a sound piece of logic. However, if Hagrid's pet, whatever it was, had killed someone, it wouldn't have been Hagrid's fault. He would never let any of his pets do any harm to anyone, if he could help it.

"Now stand aside," Riddle commanded.

"No!" Hagrid shouted.

"Stand aside, Hagrid!"

"NO!"

Riddle had no other choice now. Hagrid would not move, and there was no way he could take Hagrid on by himself. Hagrid could keep Riddle back with one finger, and if he tried to physically attack Hagrid, then all Hagrid had to do was flick Riddle's head and it would pop right off.

Hagrid could kill Riddle if he wanted, and Riddle would be powerless to stop it. Magic wouldn't do a whole lot to Hagrid, and besides that, Riddle had nothing to defend himself against Hagrid - except one thing.

Hagrid would never hurt anyone, unless he had no other choice.

Riddle raised his wand and shouted, "_Cistem Aperio!_"

The wooden trunk's cover exploded and Hagrid was blown aside by the force of it. As big as he was, Hagrid wasn't immovable. More than likely, he moved for his own safety. Exploding wooden boxes weren't the safest of things to be around, even for someone like Hagrid.

Devyn jumped back in shock when a very fast, many legged creature scuttled out of the box and right past Harry and Devyn.

"_Arania Exumai!_" Riddle shouted. A jet of blinding white light shot after the creature but missed. The creature got away; Hagrid, however, was still on the receiving end of Riddle's wand.

Although she had only seen it for a few seconds, the creature looked like something of a spider nature to her. It certainly had enough legs, although it was far larger than any spider Devyn had ever encountered.

"Aragog! Aragog!" Hagrid shouted, trying to go after his pet, which was possibly a very large spider.

Riddle turned quickly towards Hagrid and pointed his wand at him again. Hagrid had no choice but to stop.

"I can't let you go, Hagrid. They'll have your wand for this, Hagrid. You'll be expelled," Riddle said. Hagrid hung his head in defeat and Harry and Devyn were suddenly being pulled back, away from the horrible scene.

"Hagrid!" Devyn shouted in despair. Hagrid would never, **never, NEVER** be involved in something like this. She doubted he even knew where the Chamber was, never mind how to open it. Besides, Aragog looked like a spider, and she knew that the monster that dwelled in the Chamber was somehow snake-related. How else could both she and Harry hear its voice, while no one else could?

"HAGRID!" both Harry and Devyn shouted. Harry reached out his hand, trying to get back to his friend, but Devyn knew it was useless.

Before they knew it, they were back in the common room, and Harry was struggling to keep from going over backwards in his chair. Devyn had been popped back to the floor, where she had been standing, although she tripped over her own feet and had fallen to the floor when they returned.

"Whoa!" Harry said, as he finally regained his balance before bolting out of his chair and up the boys dormitory's staircase.

Devyn however found herself almost completely frozen with shock.

"No...no, absolutely not. No. He wouldn't...he'd never..." Devyn whispered to herself.

_**Devyn? Are you alright?**_

Snow's familiar voice invaded her mind.

_Hagrid wouldn't. He wouldn't ever have anything to do with the Chamber. How could he?_

_**I don't know, Devyn. It doesn't look good for Hagrid, but I don't believe he'd do anything like this either. That was fifty years ago, though. He was young back then, foolish.**_

_I know it doesn't look good for him, but I can't believe it - I won't believe it. Hagrid would NEVER do anything like this, foolish or not. _

_**No one's asking you to suddenly believe that Hagrid opened the Chamber. I'd be shocked if you did. There was something weird about that Riddle bloke, though, don't you think?**_

_Yes, I do. Something wasn't right about him. He accused Hagrid...but Hagrid wouldn't ever do anything like that; anyone who has ever known him would know that. Snow...Snow, I think __**Riddle**__ was behind the Chamber of Secrets attacks back then, and the death of that girl. I think he accused Hagrid to get the suspicion off himself. Dumbledore certainly was suspicious of him, and so am I. Snow, he framed Hagrid. I think he did, I really do._

_**So do I, but Harry seems convinced that Riddle is innocent. He didn't believe you when you told him that something wasn't right here.**_

_Yeah, but that's how Harry is. He has really good instincts, but mine are better. I have a woman's intuition and a wolf's senses on my side. He doesn't. I'll never be able to convince him Hagrid's innocent. Neville, Ron, and Hermione, however, they'll believe me. They know that Hagrid would never...never, ever..._

_**Neville and Hermione, yes. Ron might be a little more difficult though.**_

_Yeah, maybe. We'll just have to wait and see._

_**Yeah. In the meantime, why don't we get off the floor?**_

Devyn nodded to herself and picked herself up. She collapsed onto a couch just as Harry was dragging Ron and Neville down the stairs with him.

She must have looked severely shaken because as soon as he saw her, Neville shook off Harry's grip and ran over to her. He sat down beside her and looked in her eyes.

Devyn didn't know why, but she nearly dissolved into tears right there and then.

"Oh, Neville. He wouldn't. He would never. Hagrid...Hagrid wouldn't..."

Harry and Ron looked shocked at her behavior, but Neville just put his arm around her and hugged her.

"I know. I know he wouldn't."

"How do you explain what we saw, Devyn? Huh?" Harry questioned. Devyn looked up at him with a very dangerous light in her eyes. She was aware they flashed bright green when she said, "Harry Potter, if you believe, for one second, that Hagrid is actually guilty, then you are not his friend. How can you believe Riddle, a complete stranger, a kid from fifty years in the past, over your own friend? You _know _Hagrid. You _don't _know Riddle, at all."

Harry looked rather ashamed of himself but stood his ground. "Well, still, how do you explain what we saw?"

"I don't know. Harry, I really don't know. What I do know, however, is that Hagrid is **not guilty**. He can't be. We know Hagrid. He'd never be involved in something like that. Hagrid can be foolish with his pets, but he isn't stupid enough to let one go wandering around the castle."

Neville nodded at this argument. "That's true, Harry. You've got to admit."

Harry shrugged and Devyn said, "Besides, Hagrid's pet, Aragog," Neville and Ron raised their eyebrows at the name, but said nothing. "What did Aragog look like to you?"

Harry thought for a moment and said, "Well, it had a lot of legs. Kinda like a spider, I suppose. A big spider."

Ron shuddered and Devyn nodded. "That's what I saw too."

"We only saw it for a couple seconds, Devyn. We can't be sure what we saw."

Devyn nearly lost it. "Harry! We can hear the voice of something _slithering _in the walls, something that really wants to kill people. Spiders don't slither, for one thing, and unless we can talk to spiders as well as snakes, then I have every reason to believe that the monster inside the Chamber is a snake, or related to a snake, not a spider!"

Harry looked impressed with this argument, but still shrugged. "Devyn, we don't have any proof of anything right now, aside from the fact that we know Hagrid is somehow involved, guilty or not. He knows something about the Chamber, and that's the best we've got right now. All right?"

Devyn bit her lip and frowned. She didn't like it, but Harry was right. Hagrid was, right now, the only lead they had in the Chamber mystery. They had to follow up on it, regardless of the fact that Devyn knew Hagrid was completely innocent.

...Okay, so maybe not entirely innocent, as he had been keeping a giant spider locked in a wooden box in the dungeons, but as far as the Chamber of Secrets and that girl's death went, Hagrid was innocent.

He was. He had to be. He had to.

* * *

**What do you guys think? Devyn is absolutely convinced that Hagrid had nothing to do with it, and doesn't trust Riddle anymore than she trusts Voldemort. *wink, wink* Harry, however, is less sure about Riddle's untrustworthiness. Let's just see what happens shall we?**

**Please review, and tell me what you liked, didn't like. Any questions you have, I will try to answer. Thank you, and keep reading and reviewing.**


	21. Chapter 21

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 21**

The day after Devyn and Harry's little adventure into the memory of Tom Riddle, Hermione was finally released from the Hospital Wing, with no more cat fur, or cat attributes to be found.

As the four of them walked across the school grounds, Harry filled Hermione in on what happened while she had been being de-feline'd.

"It was Hagrid," Harry said. Devyn growled softly, still adamant on the fact that Hagrid had nothing to do with it. "Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago."

"It can't be Hagrid," Hermione said. "It just can't be."

"Thank you! Someone who finally agrees with me," Devyn exclaimed.

"We don't even know this Tom Riddle," Ron added. "He sounds like a dirty, rotten snitch to me."

Devyn nodded at this statement. While 'snitch' might not have been the right term ('liar' might have been more appropriate), the 'dirty, rotten' part Devyn agreed with completely.

"The monster had killed somebody, Ron," Harry told him. "What would any of us have done?"

Devyn sighed; there was truth to this, but even still, Hagrid wasn't the mastermind behind the attacks. He couldn't be. Why would he, of all people, go around setting a monster on Muggle-borns? That didn't make any sense at all.

"We shouldn't even be discussing this," Devyn said stubbornly. She turned to Harry and said, "I know you want to get to the bottom of this mystery, Harry; I get it. I really do. But if you think for one minute that Hagrid opened the Chamber, then I'm not sure you're thinking clearly. Like I said before, and Ron just said, we don't know this Riddle. He could have easily framed Hagrid for the crime. Let's face it, who would believe Hagrid over Riddle? Hagrid, who clearly had a reputation even then for having a soft spot for monsters…it wouldn't exactly be difficult to frame him for a gruesome murder, now would it?"

Harry was being just as stubborn as she was, whereas the others looked slightly worried about the line of thinking that Devyn was going down.

"Look, Harry, I know you want to believe Riddle, as he's the only one who's been able to give us any answers about this Chamber, but I am telling you, something about this is **not **right. Something about Riddle isn't right. I don't trust him."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Why?! Harry, he –" Devyn realized she was getting rather loud, so she lowered her voice. "He sucked us into a _diary_, Harry. He sucked us into his own memory. What about that screams 'trustworthy' to you? Now, you can believe what you want, but call me crazy; I don't really trust a diary that can write back."

Devyn knew that Harry understood her logic, but she also knew that he didn't want to listen to what she was saying to him.

"Look, Hagrid's our friend," Hermione said. "Why don't we just go and ask him about it?"

Devyn didn't even have the chance to shoot down that idea because Ron got there first. "Oh, that'd be a cheerful visit. 'Hello, Hagrid! Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?'"

Devyn wanted to laugh, but couldn't, given the gravity of the situation they found themselves in. Devyn had half a mind just to go to Dumbledore right now, but she knew if she did that, Harry probably wouldn't be too thrilled. Besides, that meant she would have to tell Dumbledore that she had been investigating the attacks and very possibly putting her own life at risk, which she promised Moony she wouldn't do again, although she knew that she was most likely going to have to break that promise.

"Mad and hairy? You wouldn't be talking about me, now would ya?"

A familiar voice broke through her thoughts and she turned around quickly with the rest of her friends.

"No," they said in unison.

_Oh, yeah, that wasn't weird at all, _Devyn told herself. Suddenly the atmosphere was very awkward as the four of them looked up at Hagrid.

Thankfully, Harry decided to break the awkward silence. "What's that you've got there, Hagrid?"

Hagrid ignored the obvious attempt at breaking the ice and looked at the jug in his hand. "Oh, it's Flesh-Eating Slug Repellant. For the Mandrakes, ya know. Now, according to Professor Sprout, they've still got a bit of growin' up to do. But, once their acne's cleared up, we'll be able to chop 'em up and stew 'em, and then we'll get those people down at the hospital un-Petrified. In the meantime, though, you four had best be looking after yourselves. All right?"

They nodded and Hagrid went off, nearly colliding with Neville, who had come barreling down the corridor into the courtyard.

"Hello, Neville!" Hagrid said cheerfully, although Neville didn't answer. He ran straight towards Harry and skidded to stop in front of him.

"Harry, I don't know who did it, but you'd better come! Come on!" Neville told him. They could tell it was serious, so the four of them followed Neville back to Gryffindor Tower and up the boys' dormitories staircase.

Devyn stopped short in shock when she saw what had been done. The room had been torn apart. The stuffing of pillows was everywhere, books had been thrown asunder; the entire room was in utter chaos.

"W-Who would do this?" Devyn asked out loud. Neville shook his head, looking worried.

"I don't know."

Harry sifted through the mess, looking as though a light bulb had been lit above his head.

"It must have been a Gryffindor. Nobody else knows our password…unless it wasn't a student."

"What, you think it was a teacher?" Devyn asked her. Hermione shrugged and Devyn retreated into her thoughts.

"Whoever it was," Ron said, "they must have been looking for something."

Harry stopped his rather thorough searching and turned to them.

"And they found it. Riddle's diary is gone," he told them.

Although this was very bad, and although Devyn's cogs immediately started turning, trying to figure out who would take the diary, she couldn't help feeling a sense of immense relief that the creepy diary was gone.

* * *

A couple of weeks later, they were able to take their minds off the Chamber, and Riddle's diary; Harry had a Quidditch game.

As Devyn, Ron, and Neville took their seats in the stadium seats, she couldn't help but wonder where Hermione was. She knew that Hermione was in the library, looking something up, but that didn't stop Devyn from worrying ever so slightly. Not that it meant anything special to her, but Hermione was a Muggle-born, and therefore was a possible target for the monster that had been wreaking havoc on the school.

It had been a couple of hours at least, but that was somewhat normal for Hermione. However, Devyn was quickly developing an uneasy feeling. Something was wrong – she felt like that most days, but today, she felt so especially.

And that's when Professor McGonagall showed up.

"Ms. Murphy, Mr. Weasley…yes, I suppose you, too Mr. Longbottom…I need you three to come with me and Mr. Potter. There's something you need to see."

Devyn's heart leapt into her throat, but she followed Ron and Neville towards McGonagall. She lead them off the Quidditch pitch, back towards the castle.

"The match has been cancelled," Harry told Devyn. She nodded in understanding, but with the exception of that, the rest of the trip was silent.

Devyn nearly stopped breathing when she realized that McGonagall was leading them towards the Hospital Wing,

"Oh, Merlin, no. Please…" Devyn said under her breath. Neville looked at her, and she could see the same realization and fear in his eyes that she was sure was in hers. Neville said nothing, but they automatically took each other's hands for support.

"I warn you," McGonagall said as they entered the Hospital Wing and walked towards a bed with the curtains drawn. "This could be a wee bit of a shock."

McGonagall drew back the curtains and Devyn found she could no longer breathe at all. There, lying on the bed was Hermione. Her eyes were wide open in terror and her arm was stuck in a reaching position. Devyn closed her eyes and buried her head into Neville's shoulder.

"Hermione…" Ron said in quiet shock.

_This monster has taken one of my best friends. No more. NO MORE. This has to end_, Devyn thought. She could feel Snow howling in pain inside of her. As it were, the monster had just taken one of her best friends, but a member of her pack – her family. And that was inexcusable.

"She was found near the library, along with this," McGonagall said. Devyn looked up long enough to see a mirror being shown to them. "Does it mean anything to any of you?"

Devyn shook her head with the rest of them and Harry said, "No."

McGonagall nodded and left them with their friend. As she was leaving, McGonagall placed a hand on Devyn's shoulder and squeezed it tightly. McGonagall understood the kind of pain and anger that was raging inside of her at the moment. It didn't matter that Hermione would eventually be restored.

What mattered was that the monster had just made this personal for Devyn. _**Very**_ personal, and that was something that no one should do. Hermione was her family, and anyone that hurt her family would find themselves on the receiving end of a wolf's wrath. That was a dangerous place to be.

Devyn looked up at Harry, who was staring at the unmoving Hermione, and said, "Still think Hagrid could be behind this?"

Harry looked at her and shook his head slowly. "I never thought Hagrid could be behind the attacks this time; only that he had something to do with the attacks fifty years ago."

Devyn barely contained her growl. "Accusing him of the attacks back then is just as good as accusing him of them now. And now, it's more than obvious, more so than ever; Hagrid could never do this," she said, pointing at Hermione.

Harry only nodded. Devyn said no more about it. She had made her point.

* * *

Later that night, McGonagall made an announcement in the Gryffindor common room.

"Could I have your attention please?" McGonagall said loudly. The common room settled down and everyone shifted their attention to the witch in their midst.

"Because of recent events, these new rules will be put into effect immediately." She unfurled a scroll and read, "'All students will return to their house common rooms by six o'clock every evening. All students will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No exceptions.'"

She put away the scroll and looked at them. It seemed many of the students were a little moody about the new rules, but Devyn didn't contest them. They were for their own safety, and although they would make their investigation a little more difficult, they were perfectly reasonable.

"I should tell you this," McGonagall said, in a moment of complete honesty. "Unless the culprit behind the attacks is caught, it is likely the school will be closed."

This was yet another blow to Devyn's morale, although not an unexpected one. Recently she had written to Moony, telling him everything about the attacks and Hermione, but begging him not to say anything to anyone else. The last thing the school needed was word of the attacks getting out to the press.

Moony had written back, expressing his condolences about Hermione, with the only advice he could give: "be careful". Just seeing Moony's handwriting made her feel better, and she honestly wanted to see him very badly.

But more than reminding her how much she missed her godfather, the familiar handwriting renewed her strength, and got her to keep it together.

Harry waved her and Neville over and said, "We've got to talk to Hagrid. I can't believe it's him, but if he did set the monster loose last time –"

"-he didn't!" Devyn interrupted. Harry gave her a look, which she countered with her own.

"**If **he did, then he'll know how to get into the Chamber of Secrets, and that's a start."

"But you heard McGonagall!" Ron told him. Neville nodded and said, "We're not allowed to leave the tower except for class."

Harry looked thoughtful and then said, "I think it's time to get my dad's old cloak out again."

Devyn blinked and said, "That's an idea. Yeah, we could do that."

To be honest, she wanted to see Hagrid very much, if only to see how he was doing with the news that Hermione had been attacked. Hagrid, Devyn knew, loved Hermione like she was his own daughter, and this would have been terrible shock for him.

Neville shook his head. "You three go if you want. You don't need me there. I'll stay here."

"Are you sure, Neville?" Devyn asked him. He nodded and said, "Yeah. Besides, that cloak isn't big enough for all of us."

Devyn didn't like leaving Neville behind, but time was of the essence here, and they needed to talk to Hagrid. She nodded and said, "Okay. Harry…go get the cloak."

* * *

A short while later, Devyn, Harry, and Ron were on their way across the grounds towards Hagrid's hut. Devyn knocked on the door and Hagrid opened it, aiming a loaded crossbow at them. Of course, he couldn't see them, so he didn't know they were there.

"Who's there?" Hagrid asked. He looked stressed and nervous. "Hello? Hello?!"

Harry threw off the cloak and they all stared at him, wary of the crossbow.

"What's that for?" Harry asked, looking rather concerned. Hagrid looked at the dangerous weapon in his hands and shook his head.

"Oh, nothing. I…I was expecting…ah…it doesn't matter. Come on in, I just made a pot of tea."

The three of them stepped past Hagrid and into the warm house. Fang almost immediately jumped on Devyn, nearly knocking her over in the process.

"Hey, Fang! Oh, long time no see, buddy," Devyn said. Fang sat obediently in front of her and she said, "Who's my good boy?"

Fang raised his paw and held it out toward Devyn, who took it in her hand and smiled at the large boarhound. "That's right, you're my good boy."

She rubbed Fang's head and took a seat next to Harry. She noticed Hagrid was shaking something awful, and he nearly flooded his own table with tea. Devyn felt her heart nearly break for Hagrid. He was having a just as hard time as the rest of them.

"Hagrid, are you okay?" Harry asked. Hagrid looked up and tried to reassure them.

"I'm fine! I'm alright."

"Did you hear about Hermione?" Devyn asked carefully. The last thing she wanted to do was upset him, but it was clear he needed to talk to someone.

Hagrid looked up at her, and Devyn could see the pain in his dark eyes. He knew. Of course he knew.

"Oh yeah," Hagrid said. Devyn nodded. "I heard about that, all right."

Devyn wanted to say something, anything to reassure him, but Harry had other plans. Harry simply cut right to the chase.

"Look, we have to ask you something. Do you know who's opened the Chamber of Secrets?"

Hagrid immediately looked uncomfortable. "What you have to understand about that, is-"

What they needed to understand, they never found out because just then there was some loud knocking at Hagrid's door.

"Quick, under the cloak," Hagrid said. The three of them instantly obeyed him and he said, "Don't say a word. Be quiet, all of you."

The three of them squeezed into a corner as Hagrid opened the door.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir!" Hagrid said.

Devyn almost breathed a sigh of relief, but caught herself just in time.

"Good evening, Hagrid," they heard Dumbledore say. "I wonder, could we…?"

"Of course, come in! Come in," Hagrid replied, stepping aside to allow Dumbledore and whoever he had with him entrance.

Dumbledore entered, and a man with wavy gray hair and carrying a black bowler hat followed.

"That's Dad's boss!" Ron said quietly. "Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic!"

Devyn barely had time to wonder why the Minister was here before he said, "Bad business, Hagrid, very bad business. Had to come…three attacks on Muggle-borns. Things have gone far enough…the Ministry's got to act."

Devyn's anger rose at what the Minister was suggesting, but she could do nothing without revealing her presence, and that was something she couldn't do.

Hagrid started to get defensive, and he was perfectly entitled to be. "Oh, but I never…you know I never…Professor!"

"I want it understood, Cornelius," Dumbledore said firmly, "that Hagrid has my full confidence."

"Albus look, Hagrid's record is against him, I've got to take him."

"Take me? Take me where? Not Azkaban Prison!" Hagrid exclaimed. Fudge looked somewhat ashamed but not enough to earn Devyn's sympathy.

"I'm afraid we have no choice, Hagrid," Fudge told him. Hagrid was unable to say anything more because just then, his front door flew open to reveal Lucius Malfoy.

_Oh, great. Just perfect,_ Devyn thought. Lucius Malfoy was second on her list of the people she disliked the most, behind only Voldemort. Draco Malfoy was third.

"Already here, Fudge? Good," Malfoy said.

"What are you doing here?" Hagrid demanded. "Get outta my house!"

_You tell him, Hagrid_, Devyn rooted for her friend silently. Malfoy quirked an eyebrow and said, "Believe me, I take absolutely no pleasure being inside your… you call this a house?"

That comment alone was enough to make Devyn transform into Snow and attack, but she didn't. That would only get herself, Hagrid, Harry and Ron into trouble.

"No," Malfoy continued. "I simply called at the school and was told the Headmaster was here."

Dumbledore turned to Malfoy and said, "Well, what exactly is it that you want with me?"

Malfoy drew a breath and Devyn felt that he was getting ready to deliver some news that made him rather happy, but would make the rest of them very angry.

"The other governors and I have decided it's time for you to step aside. This is an order of suspension," Malfoy said, holding out a scroll. "You'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you've rather lost your touch."

Devyn was seeing red at this point and she honestly thought that if Malfoy didn't remove himself from Hagrid's home very soon, he was going to find a wolf attacking him. She was barely hanging onto what control she had as it was.

"Well," Malfoy said, "what with all these attacks, there'll be no more Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts. I can only imagine what an awful loss that would be to the school."

His sarcastic tone only furthered Devyn's desire to attack him, but Harry's hand closed around her wrist, silently telling her to calm down. She tried to calm her heartbeat as Hagrid finally stood up to Malfoy.

"Yeh can't take Professor Dumbledore away. Take him away, and the Muggle-borns won't stand a chance! Mark my words, there'll be killings next!"

"You think so?" Malfoy replied, a gleam in his eyes that made Devyn shake in fury.

"Calm yourself, Hagrid," Dumbledore intervened. "If the governors desire my removal, I will, of course, step aside. However, you will find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."

Dumbledore sent a meaningful look in their direction and Devyn knew instantly that whether he could see them or not, he knew that they were there.

"Admirable sentiments. Shall we?" Malfoy said. "Fudge!"

Immediately, Fudge followed after Malfoy and Dumbledore, like the loyal dog he was. Fudge stopped and said, "Come, Hagrid…well?"

Devyn had a feeling that Hagrid was trying to be as discreet as Dumbledore in leaving them a clue, but Hagrid was not very talented at being discreet, so it just seemed awkward.

"If, uh, if anybody was looking for some stuff, then all they'd have to do would be to follow the spiders. Yep…that would lead them right. That's all I have to say. Oh, and someone will need to feed Fang while I'm away."

Fudge looked at Fang, who growled softly at him. Devyn nodded her approval of Fang's behavior and Fudge simply said, "Good boy."

And just like that, Hagrid was gone. Dumbledore was gone. And all they had to do now was, apparently, follow some spiders.

The second that the door closed, Harry and Ron threw off the cloak and Devyn immediately said, "They're arresting an innocent man! Just because the Ministry's got to be seen doing something. They're useless, they are. Bunch of bloody idiots, if you ask me; barring your dad, I mean, Ron."

Ron nodded and said, "Hagrid's right! With Dumbledore gone, there'll be an attack a day."

Harry nodded and then something caught their eyes. Small black spiders were crawling out the window in a singular line.

"Look!" Harry said, pointing at them. "Well come on. Come on, Fang!"

Devyn nodded and followed Harry out the door. Dumbledore was gone – they were running out of time even faster, before someone was probably killed. It was time to get some real answers – answers, apparently that would come from spiders.


	22. Chapter 22

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN.**

**Chapter 22**

Devyn could hardly believe what they were doing.

"Come on!" Harry said. Fang trotted by Devyn's side as she followed Harry willingly.

Ron however was less willing.

"What?!" he exclaimed. Devyn turned back to look at him and said, "You heard what Hagrid said! 'Follow the spiders'!"

Ron whimpered and said, "But they're headed into the Dark Forest! Why spiders? Why couldn't it be follow the butterflies?"

Devyn laughed quietly at Ron's comment and turned back around to face forward, so she wouldn't trip over any roots. As she entered the Forest, she willed her vision to become enhanced, so that she could see where they were going. As of right now, the spiders were not taking them down any path she'd ever been on – but then, the only other time she'd been in the Dark Forest was that time she got detention and ended up confronting Quirrell and Voldemort for the first time, and also met Firenze the Centaur. That had been a weird night.

They walked along in silence, and every so often something would snap a twig and Devyn would look around like a bloodhound that had caught a scent. Merlin only knew what was in this forest, and she was **not **about to be eaten by some awful creature. She supposed that she might be more help as Snow, but debated whether or not she should try and transform.

"Oi, Harry," Devyn said quietly. Harry looked around at her and nodded at her. "You think I should transform?"

Harry shrugged and said, "It's up to you. I don't know what difference it'd make, though."

"Eh…maybe now's not the best time."

Harry nodded and turned his attention back to the spiders that were in front of them. They continued walking for what could have been ten minutes or so, until they were led into a burrow that was covered in all sizes of spider webs. A shudder ran through Devyn as she thought of how big the spiders would have to be to make some of these webs.

"Harry, I don't like this…" Ron said, sounding very scared. Devyn couldn't help but agree. She wasn't too thrilled about this either. Throughout the walk, she had been trying to figure out where these small spiders were taking them, and she had deduced that they were leading them to Aragog, the giant spider that Hagrid had had in the diary memory. Aragog had been enormous back then, and Devyn figured he was only a baby then.

She really didn't want to see how big he was now.

"Harry, I don't like this at all," Ron said. As they were led through a web-covered tunnel, Ron's breathing got increasingly more shallow and wheezy, like he was trying to prevent himself from having a panic attack.

"Shush!" Harry replied. Devyn's hearing was intensified so much that every single tiny sound felt like a scream to her, but she knew it was necessary. They were in an unfamiliar, possibly dangerous place in the presence of a possibly murderous giant spider. She wasn't going to be taking any chances.

However, because of this, she heard several odd sounds that she had never heard before, and they were coming from above her. She looked up and immediately wished she hadn't. There were hundreds, maybe thousands of overgrown spiders hanging above them on equally overgrown webs.

_Please let them stay there. Please…_Devyn thought. She also hoped that Ron didn't look up, but then, his terror was probably so great that his every sense was going to be in hyper drive.

"Can we go back now?" Ron asked, sounding as though he might cry.

Harry again dismissed Ron's pleas by saying, "Come on!"

Although a major part of Devyn was screaming for her to turn around and go back to the school, she knew she couldn't. Hagrid wouldn't have told them to do this if it wasn't important, so she kept on walking, keeping that thought within her.

They were led into a wide open space that looked like a den, and there was a massive web-covered chasm in the middle of it, which Devyn supposed was where something, probably Aragog, lived.

As they came to a stop, a loud bang could be heard, like an enormous footfall.

"Who is it?" a wheezing voice asked. Ron looked scared to death and Harry said, "Don't panic."

Devyn swallowed her fear and forced herself to breathe. Fainting was not going to help here at all.

"Hagrid? Is that you?" the voice asked. Several more footfalls followed that and each one made Devyn's heart jump into her throat.

"We're friends of Hagrid's!" Harry told it. At those words, a giant form rose out of the hole in the ground, disturbing the silvery webs laying over it.

Eight thin, hairy legs came first, and then an massive body followed. The last part of the huge spider was its head, every one of its glittering black eyes visible. It towered at least 30 feet above them in the air as Fang barked at it uselessly. Aside from being horribly hideous, the creature was strangely fascinating.

She was probably one of the only people to ever see a spider this big – an Acromantula, she believed they were called - and not be killed instantly.

"And you…" Devyn said shakily. "You're Aragog, aren't you?"

"Yes," the spider replied. "Hagrid has never sent anyone into our hollow before."

Devyn could see why. If she had been anyone else, she would have fainted a long time ago. Then again, if she _were_ anyone else, she wouldn't be doing something this insane. She'd be in Gryffindor Tower, fast asleep, safe in her bed; not out talking to an Acromantula that could kill her in the blink of an eye.

"He's in trouble," Harry replied. As Harry spoke to Aragog, Ron and Devyn looked around them. They each caught glimpses of what looked like smaller (but still frighteningly large) spiders scurrying about.

"Up at the school," Harry said. "There have been attacks. They think its Hagrid. They think he opened the Chamber of Secrets, like before."

Immediately Aragog dismissed this. "That's a lie! Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets."

"I knew it," Devyn whispered to herself, satisfied that she was right. Granted, she was going off the word of an Acromantula, but she didn't think Aragog would have any reason to lie about Hagrid.

"Then you're not the monster," Harry said to Aragog. Devyn could almost envision the spider shaking his head.

"No," Aragog replied, as Ron continued to whimper quietly. He had, evidently, spotted more spiders. "The monster was born in the castle. I came to Hagrid from a distant land, in the pocket of a traveler."

Devyn caught yet another glimpse of a large spider scuttling around and her guard was instantly up, although it had never been truly down. Ron, however, tried to bring Harry's attention to it.

"Harry," Ron whimpered. Harry shushed him and said to Aragog, "But if you're not the monster, then what did kill that girl fifty years ago?"

"We do not speak of it. It is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others," Aragog told him.

"But have you seen it?" Devyn spoke up. Aragog shifted one eye to look at her and said, "I never saw any part of the castle except for the box in which Hagrid kept me. The girl was discovered in a bathroom. When I was accused, Hagrid brought me here."

_A bathroom… _Devyn thought. Something heavy clunked into place in her mind. _Moaning Myrtle!_

Myrtle was the girl that the monster killed.

"Harry!" Ron squealed more insistently. Devyn saw him do the one thing she had hoped he wouldn't do; he looked up.

"What?" Harry snapped at him. Ron whimpered and pointed up. Finally, Harry turned his eyes upwards and Devyn did the same.

Spiders of many different sizes were descending on them from on high, thick silvery webs keeping them in the air.

Harry took a deep breath and Devyn started backing away slowly, ready to run at a moment's notice.

"Well, thank you," Harry said. "We'll just…go."

Ron nodded and Devyn continued to prepare herself to run for it, as Aragog said, "Go? I think not. My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Goodbye…friends of Hagrid."

"Bloody spiders," Devyn grumbled. She whipped out her wand and started firing any spell she could think of at the encroaching spiders.

"Can we panic now?" Ron asked as the three of them, plus Fang, started huddling closer and closer together. No one answered him. Harry smacked a couple spiders away with the lantern but that only made them angrier.

"Know any spells?" Ron asked them. Devyn and Harry looked at each other and nodded. They knew which spell to use. They'd seen it in action only once, but once was enough.

"One, but it's not powerful enough for all of them," Harry told him.

"Where's Hermione when you need her?" Ron cried out, sounding extremely desperate.

But as it turned out, their rescue came not in the form of Hermione, but a turquoise, beat up looking car, that came barreling through the tunnel and knocked out a lot of spiders.

"What the -?!" Devyn exclaimed. Harry shook his head and cast off another spider.

"No time to explain! Get in! Let's go!"

The three piled into the car and Devyn dragged Fang in with her. She crowded into the back seat while Ron took the driver's seat and Harry took the passenger's.

Just before Harry got in however, another spider tried to attack and Harry yelled, "_Arania Exumai!_"

A blast of bright light hit the spider full force and knocked it away from Harry. He climbed into the car and said, "GO!"

Ron pushed on the gas as hard as he could and they started barreling back through the tunnel, hitting so many spiders that Devyn lost count. Once they were safely out of the hollow, Ron stopped and sighed in relief.

"Glad we're out of there –"

But it wasn't over yet.

Ron screamed in fright as a random spider popped up and locked his legs around Ron's neck, its pincers drawing nearer and nearer to his flesh every second. Harry got to his wand first and yelled, "_Arania Exumai!_"

The force of the spell snapped Ron's head back, but it blew the spider off effectively. Ron gasped and looked at Harry.

"Thanks for that," he said.

Harry swallowed and said, "Don't mention it."

It felt as though they were finally safe from the spiders – but they were wrong. In the distance, an entire army of them lined up on a hill not too far away from them.

"Get us out of here," Devyn told Ron. "Now! Come on!"

"Come on!" Harry said. Ron put the car into drive and started driving as fast as the car would allow. The spiders seemed to be a tad faster.

"Move faster!" Harry screamed. All three of them were screaming their heads off, but there was nothing to be done. Either they would make it out alive…or they wouldn't.

"Go on! Go!" Devyn shouted at Ron, who kept driving.

"Get us in the air!" Harry instructed. Devyn thought these were odd instructions until she remembered that Harry and Ron arrived at school in a _flying _car – and this must have been said car.

Ron tried desperately to get the vehicle off the ground, away from the spiders but it proved harder than it looked.

"The flying gear's jammed!" Ron shouted.

"Come on! Pull!" Harry and Devyn shouted back.

"I'm trying!" Ron yelled in terror. Harry joined the effort to pull the flying gear back into order and then finally, it clicked into place and the car took off.

"WHOA!" Devyn shouted. It was an odd sensation, being in a car, but also being in the air at the same time. Honestly, though, she could have been on a flying bicycle for all she cared – as long as it was away from the spiders.

When they finally landed, Ron was the first one out. Harry, Devyn, and Fang followed quickly and the car trundled off back into the forest. Devyn collapsed onto the soft grass and closed her eyes. They were safe, it was over…and she was right. Hagrid was completely innocent.

"Follow the spiders!" Ron shouted at them. "**FOLLOW THE SPIDERS! **If Hagrid **ever **gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill him! I mean, what was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out?"

Devyn opened her eyes and stared at the two boys. Harry looked at the two of them and said, "We know one thing. Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets. He was innocent."

"**OH!**" Devyn shouted, victorious at last. "**OH!** What was that? Sorry, could you say that again? Was I right?"

Harry rolled his eyes and Ron laughed a little.

"Oh, sorry, Harry, I couldn't hear you. Did you just admit I was right about Hagrid the entire time, and that Riddle **lied?** Was that what you said?"

"Yes, that's what I said," Harry replied, a humorous smile on his face. "You were right. Hagrid was innocent after all."

"Thank you. Now maybe next time you'll listen to me…"

Ron looked at Harry and then at Devyn and said, "Don't count on it."

Devyn only winked at the two and called Fang to her.

* * *

**So, what did you think? Please leave a review…they make me smile. Also, I'm thinking about maybe doing a Thor story after this one. It would be centered around Erik Selvig and an OC…tell me what you would think of that…**

**Anyway, thank you for reading and thank you for reviewing!**

**- Nathan Lane-Beatles Luvr**


	23. Chapter 23

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 23**

"Hagrid sent you _**where**_**?!**" Neville exclaimed. Several people looked around and Devyn shushed him gently.

"He sent us into the Dark Forest," Devyn told him, lowering her voice. Devyn, Neville, Harry and Ron were currently making their way to the Hospital Wing, to see Hermione.

"Why would he do that?" Neville asked, looking very confused and a little upset with Hagrid. Devyn smiled at this; she knew that his being upset was due to the fact that he wanted her to be safe.

"There was something that he needed us to see. It had to with the Chamber of Secrets," Devyn replied. She was trying to avoid telling Neville exactly what it was they had dealt with that night, because Neville would either faint or try to get to Azkaban to murder Hagrid in his sleep if he found out it was an Acromantula.

But it was too late – Ron was already saying, "Yeah, and that something was a bloody huge spider!"

"_What?_" Neville exclaimed. He looked at Devyn and said, "Just how big was this spider?"

"Er…have you ever seen an Acromantula?" Devyn asked. Neville's eyes went as wide as they could possibly go and he said, "It was an Acromantula?! Oh, I am going to murder Hagrid!"

Devyn nodded and said, "You can't...he was arrested by the Minister of Magic last night. He's been taken to Azkaban."

"What?" Neville said, looking shocked. Devyn nodded and said, "It was only because he was suspected for the attacks fifty years ago. The Minister said, and I quote, 'The Ministry's got to act.'"

"So they took him? Just like that? Without any evidence or anything?"

Devyn nodded and Neville frowned. "I'm still gonna kill him when I see him again. You could have been killed!"

Devyn shook her head and said, "He didn't realize that we would be in danger. Oh, and the Acromantula was Aragog, by the way."

"Aragog?" Neville repeated. "You mean that giant spider Hagrid was keeping as a pet in that memory you saw?"

"Yep," Harry replied.

"Unbelievable," Neville said, shaking his head.

As they kept walking to the Hospital Wing, Devyn was doing some serious thinking.

_Okay, so think about what you know. You're a Parselmouth, Harry's a Parselmouth. Something's been slithering inside the walls. Something related to a snake. Possibly a Basilisk…and that monster killed a girl, and she was discovered in a bathroom. Could that be Myrtle? All right, now, what about the diary? Clearly it's not a normal diary, because of the whole memory thing and the fact that it can talk back. And someone stole it. But who? It was probably a Gryffindor…wait…_

Devyn recalled something from before the Polyjuice Potion incident. It felt like such a long time ago now, but….the day that she and Hermione told the boys that they found a place – that place being Myrtle's bathroom – to brew the Polyjuice Potion, Devyn noticed that Ginny wasn't looking too well and that she was writing in a black diary….

Devyn had only seen Ginny's diary from a distance, but was there a possibility that Riddle's diary was the one that Ginny had been writing in? And if that was the case, then was Ginny the one who stole it back from Harry?

But that would mean…no, that couldn't be right….that would mean that Ginny was involved in the Chamber of Secrets attacks….

She wouldn't do anything like that…would she?

Devyn felt like she had seen the diary somewhere else, but….she couldn't remember where. Wherever and whenever it had been, it was a long time ago, and her memory refused to call it back for her. She was going to have to share her suspicions with Harry – she had kept her thoughts to herself for too long.

Because she was in deep thought, she didn't even realize that they were entering the Hospital Wing. She brought herself out of her mind and walked up to Hermione's bed with the rest of them.

As she did, she noticed that dusk was descending upon the castle outside. It was later than she realized.

Devyn sat at the foot of Hermione's bed and looked at her friend. "We'll get you out of this," she said quietly. "I swear, Hermione. You'll be back before long."

She knew that Hermione couldn't hear her, but she didn't really care. She was also saying it to make herself feel better. She felt Neville's hand on her shoulder and reached up to cover it with her own, smiling as she did so.

Sometimes she really didn't know what she'd do without Neville. Ron was standing on Hermione's right side and was staring at her frozen form, looking horribly disheartened. She could tell he missed Hermione, perhaps much more than the rest of them.

_Ironic, _she thought, _when you think about it. Only last year Ron couldn't stand Hermione, and now look at him. He looks so lost without her around._

"Wish you were here, Hermione," Harry said, quietly, resting his hand on her left, which was loosely clenched into a fist. "We need you now, more than ever."

Devyn nodded and was about to speak up about her suspicions when Harry frowned and looked down at Hermione's hand. She was holding something. It looked like a crumpled up piece of paper, but…

No, it _was _a crumpled up piece of paper, she realized as Harry pulled it out. It looked like it belonged to a library book.

"What's that?" Ron asked. Harry flattened out the paper and scanned it quickly, his eyes widening as he did so.

"Harry-?" Devyn asked. Harry looked up at them and said, "This is why Hermione was in the Library the day she was attacked. Come on!"

Harry ran from the Hospital Wing and the other three followed him. Devyn realized this was important, but she really thought she needed to tell Harry that she suspected it was a Basilisk.

Before she could do so, however, Harry started reading aloud from the page as they walked down a darkened corridor.

"'Of the many fearsome beasts that roam our land, none is more deadly than the Basilisk. Capable of living hundreds of years, instant death awaits any who meet this giant serpent's eye. Spiders flee before it…'"

Harry trailed off and looked up at them again. "This is it," he said. "The monster in the Chamber of Secrets is a Basilisk. That's why Devyn and I can hear it speak! It's a snake! Devyn you were right!"

Harry turned to look at her, although he stopped when he saw her face. "Devyn, are you all right?"

Devyn sighed and said, "Yeah…but, Harry, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but it's confession time. I suspected it was a Basilisk a long time ago."

"What?" Harry said. "W-Why didn't you say anything?"

"I don't know. I sort of tried, I suppose, but I didn't…"

"No, Devyn. If you knew it was a Basilisk, _why didn't you tell us_?"

"I don't know! I was scared, maybe. I don't know!"

"Scared? Of what?"

"Of being wrong!" Devyn exclaimed. "I was afraid of being wrong."

Harry blinked and said, "What? So you didn't tell us because you didn't want to be _wrong_?"

The three boys were looking at her like they had never seen her before and she said, "No, it's not like that!"

"Then what is it?" Ron asked harshly. Devyn tried not to wince and she said, "People were getting attacked left and right -!"

"Which is why you should have said something!" Ron interrupted. Neville glared at him and then looked back at Devyn.

"Yes, I know," Devyn said. "I know, but people were getting hurt, Harry, and even though I thought it was Basilisk, if I was wrong…if I was wrong and I told you, and we somehow got into the Chamber and went up against this monster, and it _**wasn't **_a Basilisk…do you see where I'm going with this?"

Neville sighed and nodded. Harry and Ron looked less than thrilled with this explanation, but they nodded too. Devyn sighed in relief and said, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you…I'm sorry."

She was nearly on the verge of tears but tried to fight them back. Harry bit his lip and stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's…its okay. We know now. We know it's a Basilisk. Just…next time, don't keep things like this to yourself, okay? Tell us, even if you think it's insane."

Devyn nodded and took a deep breath. She wanted to tell them about her thoughts about Ginny and the diary but then Ron said, "If it kills by looking people in the eye, why is it no one's dead?"

"Because no one _did _look it in the eye, Ron," Devyn said. "Not directly, at least. Colin saw it through his camera. Justin must have seen the Basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick -"

Harry picked up on her line of thought and said, "Nick got the full blast of it, but he's a ghost, he couldn't die again. And Hermione…had the mirror. I bet you anything she was using it to look around corners, in case it came along."

"And Mrs. Norris?" Ron questioned. "I'm pretty sure she didn't have a camera or a mirror, Harry."

But Devyn had an answer for that too. "The water. There was water on the floor that night. She only saw the Basilisk's reflection."

Neville looked astounded at the level of deduction going on and Harry looked at the page again before heading over to a torch that was burning brightly a few feet away from them.

He held the page up to it so he could see it properly. "'Spiders flee before it'. It all fits!"

Neville finally spoke up and said, "But how's the Basilisk been getting around?"

Ron nodded and said, "Yeah, I mean…a dirty great snake – someone would have seen it."

Ron and Neville looked at Devyn, but she had no answer. Luckily, it turned out, Hermione had given them the answer.

"Hermione's answered that, too," Harry said, showing them a single word in Hermione's hand writing at the bottom of the page – 'pipes'.

"Pipes?!" Ron exclaimed. "It's using the plumbing?!" He looked around at the walls nervously. Devyn couldn't blame him – the prospect of having a Basilisk moving through the plumbing of the castle was a frightening thought.

"Remember what Aragog said?" Harry said. "About that girl fifty years ago?"

"She died in a bathroom," Devyn answered him.

"What if she never left?" Harry continued. Ron thought for a moment before he said, "Moaning Myrtle."

He then turned to Devyn and said, rather harshly, "Did you know about that, too?"

Devyn nodded and said, "But not until last night. I figured it out when Aragog said the girl was discovered in a bathroom."

"And you didn't tell us this **why**?" Ron questioned, advancing on her. Devyn stood her ground and said, "Ron, unless you've forgotten, we were being attacked by giant spiders – there really wasn't time to tell you. And when we got back to the castle, you were just shouting about how you were going to kill Hagrid! There wasn't time!"

"Whatever. Anything else you know that we don't?"

"Yes, actually! It's about Ginny."

Ron looked taken aback and said, "What? What about my sister?"

Devyn looked past Ron and straight at Harry. "Do you remember the day that Hermione and I told you three that we found a place to brew the Polyjuice Potion?"

"Yeah," they answered.

"And I was a little concerned about Ginny? Well, she was writing in a diary…a black diary…and I'm sorry, Ron, I'm so sorry – but I think the diary that Ginny had was Riddle's diary."

The three boys looked shocked for a moment before Ron said, "No. No, you're wrong. Because that would mean that -"

"Ginny stole the diary back from the boys' dormitory."

"No! Cause **that **would mean that she's -"

"That she's somehow involved in this whole mess."

Ron shook his head and said, "You're wrong."

"I hope I am, Ron. I really do, but –"

Devyn was cut off by McGonagall's voice making an announcement throughout the school.

"ALL STUDENTS ARE TO RETURN TO THEIR HOUSE DORMITORIES AT ONCE! ALL TEACHERS TO THE SECOND FLOOR CORRIDOR IMMEDIATELY!"

McGonagall's voice was calm, but even Crabbe and Goyle would be able to tell that something was wrong. And it was for that reason that the four of them rushed off, not to their dormitory, but to the second floor corridor.

When they finally reached the correct corridor, they hid behind a wall and peered around. Every teacher and Madam Pomfrey (excluding Lockhart) was there, staring at the wall. Devyn, however, couldn't see what was on the wall.

"As you can see," McGonagall said, "the Heir of Slytherin has left another message. Our worst fear has been realized! A student has been taken by the monster into the Chamber itself. The students must be sent home. I'm afraid this is the end of Hogwarts."

Devyn felt her heart drop into her stomach at the very thought of someone being taken by the Basilisk into the Chamber and something inside of her was telling her it was Ginny – she only hoped she was dead wrong.

Just then Lockhart strolled up.

"So sorry," he said. "Dozed off. What have I missed?"

Devyn rolled her eyes despite the gravity of the situation and smiled to herself slightly when Snape said, "A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Your moment has come at last."

"My m-moment?" Lockhart stammered. Devyn looked at Harry, who was trying not to smirk. Although she was not Snape's greatest fan, Devyn would choose him over Lockhart every time.

"Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?" Snape told him. Lockhart didn't answer. Instead, he just stared blankly at Snape, clearly trying to think his way out of this.

"Then it's settled," McGonagall said. "We'll leave you to deal with the monster, Gilderoy. Your skills, after all, are legend."

Devyn was trying desperately to suppress a laugh, knowing that one single sound would alert the teachers to their presence.

"Very well," Lockhart said, having finally found his voice. "Ah…I'll just be in my office, getting…getting ready."

Lockhart walked off and Madam Pomfrey turned to McGonagall. "Who is it that the monster's taken, Minerva?"

McGonagall looked like she didn't want to answer but then said, "Ginny Weasley."

Devyn felt all the air leave her lungs, leaving her unable to breathe or think, or even move. A part of her knew it was Ginny, but another part of her had been hoping against all hope that she was wrong.

As the teachers walked away, and the message became visible to them, Devyn felt her anger and frustration start to build up and she started shaking in fury.

"'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever'," Ron read the message on the wall. "Ginny…"

Devyn looked at Ron and he said, utterly miserable, "It seems you were right, Devyn. Ginny is involved. Why else would the monster take her?"

Devyn's eyes hardened and flashed green. "I don't care about being right, Ron. I only care about getting Ginny back. Let's go. This ends tonight."


	24. Chapter 24

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 24**

Devyn's heart was racing like never before as she, Harry, Ron, and Neville zoomed down the corridors, making their way, and she almost couldn't believe this, to Lockhart's office.

"Lockhart may be useless," Harry said to no one in particular. "But he's going to try and get into the Chamber. At least we can tell him what we know."

Devyn highly doubted that Lockhart was actually going to try and get into the Chamber, but she was desperate. Ginny was in mortal danger right at that very moment and she needed to swallow her pride and put aside her dislike towards Lockhart, and just try to help the annoying fraud.

Harry somehow got ahead of her and burst through Lockhart's door.

"Professor!" he said. "We have some information for you!"

But just then, Devyn started emitting a low growling sound. She had been right – Lockhart was packing up. He was running for the hills.

"Are you going somewhere?" she snarled at him. Lockhart turned to the four of them and said, "Uh, ah….well, yes…um, urgent call…unavoidable. Got to go."

He tried smiling at them, clearly attempting to be charming, but his attempt failed.

"No," Devyn growled. "You're not going anywhere."

Lockhart looked at her, fear in his eyes. Devyn knew that she had some wolfish features on her face at the moment. This she meant to do – it was designed to frighten him.

"What about my sister?!" Ron asked indignantly. Lockhart looked at him, but his gaze kept flickering back to Devyn, who was becoming more and more wolfish (and dangerous) by the second.

"Well, um…as to that…most unfortunate. No one regrets more than I."

"That's debatable," Devyn snarled, showing her sharpening incisors and canine teeth. Inside of her, Snow was howling and laughing with glee. She was loving this.

"You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!" Ron exclaimed. "You can't go now!"

In that second, she knew that everything she suspected about Lockhart was true – he _was_ a fraud, he _was_ a coward, and he _was_ useless. And worst of all, he had convinced Hermione otherwise.

"Well, I must say," Lockhart stuttered, "when I took the job, there was nothing in the job description about a –"

"You're running away?!" Harry interrupted angrily. "After all that stuff you did in your books?"

"Books can be misleading!" Lockhart replied. Devyn rolled her eyes in disgust.

"You wrote them!" Harry argued back. Lockhart slammed the book he was holding down on the desk and said, "My dear boy, do use your common sense! My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think I'd done all those things!"

And there it was; the truth, at last.

"I knew it. You're a fraud. You're nothing but a liar," Devyn snarled, her eyes changing into Snow's.

"What are you?" Lockhart asked terrified. Devyn growled and said, "If you weren't so dim-witted, you might know." She offered no further answer than that.

"You _are _a fraud," Harry said. "You've just been taking credit for what other wizards have done!"

"Is there anything you _can _do?" Neville asked.

"Doubtful," Devyn said, although it was more of a snarl. She felt as though she had made her point in scaring Lockhart. If he was too stupid to recognize an Animagus when he saw one, that wasn't her problem. She started to reign in Snow, knowing that if she actually came out, she might attack Lockhart, and they weren't going to let him get away.

"Yes, now that you mention it," he said, looking a little more relaxed as he saw Devyn become more human. "I'm rather gifted with Memory Charms. Otherwise, you see, all those wizards would have gone blabbing. And I'd never have sold another book. In fact, ah…I'm ah…going to have do the same to you."

Lockhart turned around with his wand raised, but he was too late. Devyn and Neville pulled out their wands the second Lockhart turned around to find his own, and Harry and Ron followed suit seconds after.

"Don't even think about it," Harry said. Lockhart, using brain power Devyn didn't think he had, saw that he was outnumbered and out-skilled (which was sad, considering they were only second years), and dropped his wand.

* * *

The four of them forced Lockhart out of his office, down the stairs, through the classroom, and out into the hallway. Harry took the lead and Devyn said, "If you try anything, Lockhart, just remember I don't need a wand to make you bleed."

He nodded and started walking after Harry. Ron and Neville stayed on either side of Lockhart while Devyn took up the rear. If he tried anything, she'd change into Snow so fast that he wouldn't know it until he was missing a limb.

Every so often, Lockhart would turn slightly and looked at her over his shoulder. After the fourth time, Devyn growled and said, "What are you staring at?"

Lockhart hesitated before asking, "What are you?"

"I'm none of your business. Keep walking."

Lockhart frowned at her and Devyn brought out her razor-sharp canines again. Lockhart jumped and turned right back around and kept marching along.

Eventually, Harry stopped in front of what Devyn recognized as Myrtle's bathroom. The entrance was in her bathroom. They were right next to the entrance the entire time, and never even knew.

As they entered, Devyn stepped ahead of Lockhart and stood next to Harry. She and Harry were the only two of the group that Myrtle actually liked, or tolerated, so it made sense that they would be the one to talk to her.

"Who's there?" Myrtle asked. When she saw the group, she said, "Oh, hello, Harry. Devyn, Ron…Neville. What do you want?"

Devyn looked at Harry, who nodded. She stepped forward and said, "To ask you how you died."

Strangely enough, Myrtle's entire attitude changed completely. She became happier than Devyn had ever seen her.

"Oh, it was dreadful!" she said, sounding far happier than one would have expected. "It happened right here, in this very cubicle." She had floated towards her toilet, which evidently, was where she had died.

"I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in."

"Who was it, Myrtle?" Harry asked. Myrtle sniffed and said, "I don't know! I was **DISTRAUGHT!**"

Myrtle floated towards them as she said, "But they said something funny. A kind of made-up language…and I realized it was a boy speaking, so I unlocked the door to tell them to _**go away**_…and I died."

"Just like that?" Harry asked. "How?"

"I just remember seeing a pair of great big yellow eyes, over _there, _by **that **sink." Myrtle's eyes shifted to look at the sink in the middle and she pointed at it, which Devyn immediately walked towards, to inspect. She didn't bother trying to turn the water on – it wouldn't work. For whatever reason, when Myrtle flooded the bathroom, that sink was never running.

As Myrtle floated away, moaning miserably, Devyn ran her fingers over the faucet and stopped when she felt something odd. She bent down to look at it, and her eyes widened when she realized what it was – carved into the metal of the faucet was a snake.

"This is it," Devyn said, standing up and backing away. "This is it."

Harry looked at her and she said, "I think this is the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets."

"Say something," Neville said. "Say something in Parseltongue."

"That might open it," Ron added. Devyn and Harry nodded and said together, "_Open_."

Suddenly, something creaked, and the marble sink moved apart from the others and sunk into the ground. When it hit the bottom, it was covered by a metal grate, revealing a dark, never-ending hole.

Lockhart gulped and peered down into it.

"Excellent, you two. Haha, good work. Well, then, I'll just be, ah…There's no need for me to stay!"

He tried to make a break for it, but Harry and Ron held him from going anywhere and Devyn pushed him back with one hand. The only reason she knew she could that was because Snow's strength was combining with her own, making her twice as strong as any of the boys.

"Oh, yes there is," Devyn argued as she pushed him back. He stumbled and nearly fell into the entrance, but stopped himself by holding onto the sides of the other columns. The four of them raised their wands and pointed them at Lockhart and Harry said, "You first."

Lockhart looked as though he was about to wet himself and said, "Now, kids, what good would it do?"

Devyn snorted and Ron said, "Better you than us."

"Uh…but…obviously, yes…" Lockhart stammered, again realizing how outnumbered he was. He turned around to face the hole and then looked over his shoulder and said, "Are you sure you don't want to test it first?"

"We are," Devyn stated. Ron stepped forward and jabbed him in the back with his wand, making Lockhart lose his balance and fall into the hole. He yelled out of fright as he fell and a couple seconds later, they heard a dull thud, which meant he hit the ground.

"Well, now we know it has an end," Neville said cheerfully. Devyn smiled at him and then laughed when Lockhart called up to them, "It's really quite filthy down here."

"All right," Harry said. "Let's go."

As the others nodded and prepared themselves to jump, Myrtle said, "Oh, Harry. If you die down there…you're welcome to share my toilet."

"Uh…thanks, Myrtle," Harry replied. Harry nodded and stepped forward to the hole. He jumped and Ron followed seconds after. Devyn stepped up and then turned back to Neville.

"Are you coming?" she asked him. Neville smiled and said, "I'm with you, Dev. You're stuck with me."

She nodded and said, "Good. Well, see you on the other side, Nev." She saluted him and jumped down the hole.

She quickly found out that the hole was really more of a chute, and it was almost like a giant slide. Devyn whooped out of excitement and laughed maniacally as she heard the others' screams.

When she popped out of the end, she stood up and said, "That was fun! Can we do that again?" She noticed that Lockhart was standing in a corner, and Harry and Ron had their wands raised at him again. Devyn already had her wand in hand, but didn't bother pointing it at him. The idiot knew what would happen if he tried anything stupid anyway.

Harry, Ron, Lockhart, and Neville, as he had just joined them, looked at her like she was bonkers and Ron said, "Are you insane?"

"Jury's out," she replied with a smile. Neville chuckled but that turned into a grimace when he realized what they were standing on. They were all covered in varying degrees of grime and dirt now, but they were more preoccupied with the fact that the floor seemed to have been swallowed by the extraordinary amount of animal bones.

"Now, remember; any sign of movement, close your eyes straightaway," Harry told them. And with that, he turned around and climbed into the large pipe-like tunnel and started walking. Lockhart hesitated for a moment and Ron gestured with his wand for him to go.

"Go on," he ordered. Lockhart moved at his request and followed Harry. Devyn shrugged and followed Ron, who had followed Lockhart, and Neville walked by her side.

Her only thought was, besides praying to anyone she could think of that Ginny was okay, was that she regretted having to break her promise to Moony.

Because right now, she was anything but safe. All of them were anything but safe.


	25. Chapter 25

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 25**

"This way," Harry said. He lead them through the tunnels but Devyn couldn't help but wonder where exactly they were headed, and when they would get there.

She also wondered how big this place actually was.

"What's this?"

Devyn was shaken from her thoughts when she heard Ron's voice and she looked up. Her eyes were met with the sight of what appeared to be an insanely, impossibly long snake skin. The thing that shed it must have been...at least 60 feet long.

That was a big serpent, all right.

"It looks like a...snake," Lockhart said. Harry walked up to it and ran his hand over it. Devyn just stared at it and then moved back to stand with Neville. Although she wasn't afraid of snakes, she didn't like being near that thing - even if it wasn't the actual Basilisk.

"It's a snakeskin," Harry corrected him.

"Bloody hell," Ron said. "Whatever shed this must be sixty feet long...or more!"

Evidently, the thought of a 60 foot plus snake was too much for Lockhart, because he collapsed onto the skeletal ground. Devyn rolled her eyes and they all looked down at him.

"Heart of a lion, this one," Ron commented. Devyn noticed something though. His eyes were moving around. He wasn't unconscious. He was faking.

"Ron, get away from him!" Devyn exclaimed, but she was too late. Lockhart had already jumped back up, having stolen Ron's wand.

This, at least, held some comfort - he clearly didn't realize that Ron's wand was broken, and therefore any spells he tried to fire at them probably wouldn't work properly. They would most likely backfire completely.

"The adventure ends here, kids. But don't fret," Lockhart said, pointing the wand at all of them. Devyn walked over in front of him and he said, "Try it, missy. Go ahead, I'll curse you before you even -"

"Before I even _what_, Lockhart?" Devyn snapped. "Attack you? I'd have your arm ripped off before you can even utter the first syllable."

"Really? Why don't we test that theory?" Lockhart threatened. Devyn raised her eyebrows coolly and Lockhart faltered for a moment. "Go...stand next to your friends. I don't want you anywhere near me."

Devyn rolled her eyes but she and Neville walked over to Harry and Ron, nonetheless.

"Now, don't you worry. The world will know our story. How I was too late to save the girl," Lockhart said. Devyn never hated him more than she did just then. He didn't deserve to mention Ginny, or even think about her.

"How you four tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body. So, you first, Mr. Potter, Ms. Murphy. Say goodbye to your memories."

Lockhart was clearly trying to frighten her just as much as she frightened him, but it wasn't going to work. He wasn't scary at all - merely really annoying.

"_Obliviate!_" Lockhart shouted.

Two seconds later Devyn was dodging rocks and laughing her head off. She had been right; Lockhart's spell backfired and sent him rocketing into the tunnel ceiling. She couldn't breathe for laughing so hard, but then found herself trying to avoid being squashed by the falling rocks. Harry pulled her out of the way just as the rocks cascaded into a solid wall, dividing her and Harry from Neville, Ron, and Lockhart.

"Harry! Harry!" Ron called out. "Devyn!"

"Ron, are you okay?" Harry shouted through the wall.

"I'm fine," Ron replied.

"Neville?! Neville, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Are you okay?" Neville's voice sounded, concern lacing it.

"Yeah, all good."

She heard Neville sigh a breath of relief, which was slightly interrupted by Lockhart groaning and saying, "Hello. Who are you?"

Devyn quirked an eyebrow at the sound of this, just as Ron said, "Um...Ron Weasley."

"Neville Longbottom," Neville said to him.

"Really?" Lockhart replied. "And, uh, who...who am I?"

Devyn rolled her eyes and said to herself, "You've got to be kidding me."

"Lockhart's memory charm backfired!" Ron shouted through the stone barrier. "He hasn't got a clue who he is!"

Devyn snorted and shook her head.

"Poetic justice at its finest, that," Devyn said to Harry. He nodded and then Lockhart said, "It's an odd sort of place this, isn't it? Do you live here?"

"No," Ron said. Devyn peered through a small hole in the wall and watched Ron wallop Lockhart over the head with a small stone, knocking him out again.

"Ha! Thank you, Ron. I've been hoping someone would do that!" Devyn exclaimed. Ron smiled at her and Neville rushed over to the miniscule opening.

"What'll I do now?" Ron asked out loud.

"You really are okay?" Neville asked her. Just being able to see Neville's face gave her an enormous sense of relief.

"Yeah, I'm fine. And you're okay?" Devyn replied. Neville nodded and said, "So what do we do now?"

"You two wait here and try and shift some of this rock so we can get back through. Devyn and I will go on and find Ginny."

"Okay..." Ron said.

"We'll bring her back, Ron," Devyn told him. Ron nodded and Neville looked at her meaningfully.

"Do I need to tell you to be careful?" Neville said. She shook her head in reply.

"Well, I'm gonna do it anyway; please, be careful. Please, Devyn."

"I will, Neville. I promise."

As she and Harry walked off, her ears picked up something.

It was very faint, but Devyn heard it clearly.

She smiled to herself when she heard it, but didn't stop walking. Neville said very, very carefully:

"Come back to me, Devyn."

_I will, Neville. I'll always come back._


	26. Chapter 26

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 26**

_Clunk. Clunk. Clunk._

The multiple metal snakes all coiled into place, courtesy of Harry speaking Parseltongue to open up the next doorway that would lead them deeper and deeper into the Chamber of Secrets.

Devyn's every nerve was on edge as she constantly looked for signs of movement. Every shadow made her jump and every drop of water made her heart nearly stop. She hadn't been this scared in a long time.

She hadn't been this scared when she and Harry faced Quirrell – she'd only been really angry. Although, come to think of it, Quirrell was far less dangerous than the Basilisk would be. Quirrell had been unable to do away with two first-year students, whereas the Basilisk could kill you simply by meeting your eyes.

Yeah, the Basilisk was _way _more dangerous.

The two of them were pretty much silent as they walked along their way, the only sound being the occasional Parseltongue they had to utter to allow them passage through the dank and damp tunnels of the Chamber.

"Harry," Devyn said. She didn't want to even think about what would happen if they were too late, but it was a contingency they had to try to prepare themselves for. "What if…what if we're too late? What if Ginny's…?"

She couldn't bring herself to actually say it, and Harry looked sideways at her. He shook his head. "Don't think like that. Ginny'll be okay. She's alive, I know it."

Devyn nodded and said no more on the subject – she too wanted to believe that Ginny was alive, but the chances of that actually being true were very low. It was a pessimistic thought, but most of the time, reality was never happy.

Eventually they came to a ladder. Devyn took a deep breath to prepare herself for what lay ahead. Harry looked up at her from the ladder.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked. Devyn just looked at him before shaking her head slowly.

"No, not really. I'm scared Harry. I'm really and properly scared," she replied, her voice breaking a little. Harry nodded and said, "I know. So am I. But we've got to keep going. Come on."

Devyn nodded; she'd never planned on doing anything else besides pushing on. Ginny needed their help. That was all the motivation she needed.

They descended the ladder and when they turned around, they came upon a really odd sight. It was a long – well – chamber, with water all around. What they were standing on was a long stone walkway, and both sides of the walkway were numerous large stone snake heads. At the end of this chamber – **the **Chamber – was an enormous stone head. His features were rather sharp, but he looked clever.

_That must be old Salazar himself. Bit vain, that, _Devyn thought.

However, at the moment, the stone face didn't interest her in the slightest. It was what was at the bottom of the stone face, lying on the slippery, wet floor that held her gaze – or rather, someone.

"Ginny," both Harry and Devyn said in unison. They started running toward the figure and Harry released his wand as they dropped to the floor next to Ginny. Devyn, however, had a death grip on her wand. She wasn't letting it go for anything.

"Ginny, oh, Ginny," Harry said frantically. "Oh, please don't be dead. Wake up! Wake up! Please wake up!"

Devyn quickly felt for a pulse in Ginny's neck but her attention was diverted when she heard a smooth, oddly familiar voice say, "She won't wake."

She and Harry looked up in the direction of the voice. Devyn could hardly believe what she was seeing. There in front of her was Tom Riddle, who didn't look a day older than when she saw him in the diary memory. But that had been fifty years ago. This wasn't normal, even by magical standards.

"Tom," Harry said, recognizing him. "Tom Riddle. What do you mean, she won't wake? She's not-?"

Devyn hardly thought this was the time for conversation, especially when said conversation was with someone who should look 76 years old, but didn't look a day over 16. Especially when that person was Tom Riddle. There was something about Riddle she didn't like. She didn't know what it was, but she didn't trust him.

"She's still alive, but only just," Riddle said, striding over to them.

"Are you a ghost?" Devyn asked. She felt silly for asking that, because the ghosts she knew were silvery and transparent, but it seemed like it could be a logical explanation.

"A memory," he replied, turning his penetrating gaze on her. He was rather handsome, but it was a cold handsomeness. Austere, even. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years."

_Oh, well, there you go. That explains it. But still…I feel like there's something deeper at work here. He isn't __**just **__a memory. It's something more…something much darker._

Harry turned his attention back to Ginny and touched her hand briefly. "She's cold as ice," he said. Devyn, who had also looked back down at Ginny, noticed movement out of the corner of her eye, but it wasn't the Basilisk. It was Riddle. He had just picked something up.

Harry's wand!

"Ginny," Harry pleaded once more. "Please don't be dead. Wake up!"

They turned their attention back to Riddle and Devyn frowned when she noticed him twirling Harry's wand. If he was just a memory, he shouldn't have been able to pick anything up. He shouldn't have been corporeal…

"You've got to help me, Tom! There's a Basilisk!" Harry told him. Devyn was still glaring at Riddle. He shook his head and said, "It won't come until it's called."

"And how would you know that?" Devyn asked suspiciously. Riddle looked at her again, but his eyes nor his face betrayed any emotion.

At that point, Harry also looked suspicious and he stood up when he realized that Riddle had his wand. He held out his hand and said, "Give me my wand, Tom."

"You won't be needing it," Riddle replied, still twirling it. Devyn was still glaring at him while her mind tried to work out why he seemed so very _wrong_.

Harry got impatient and glanced behind him before looking back at Riddle. "Listen, we've got to go! We've got to save her!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Harry. You see, as poor Ginny grows weaker, I grow stronger."

"You're…you're feeding off her life force!" Devyn shouted as she dropped back to shake Ginny lightly, even though she knew it was pointless. "But wait…that means…"

That meant that Ginny was the one who…

"Yes, Harry, Devyn…it was Ginny Weasley who opened the Chamber of Secrets."

"No, she couldn't! She wouldn't," Harry protested. Devyn looked down at the younger girl and felt her heart break. Harry was right: Ginny _wouldn't_. Not willingly. Riddle must have forced her. And then she looked at the black diary clutched in Ginny's hand. She despised that thing. That diary was so evil. She knew it then, and she knew it now.

"It was Ginny who set the Basilisk on the Mudbloods and Filch's cat. Ginny who wrote the threatening messages on the walls."

"Why?" Harry asked. It was a question Devyn already knew the answer to.

"Because I told her to. You'll find I can be very…persuasive. Not that she knew what she was doing; she was in a kind of, shall we say…trance. Still the power of the diary began to scare her. And she tried to dispose of it in the girls' bathroom."

"Good girl," Devyn whispered to herself. She knew Ginny couldn't hear her, but it didn't matter. Ginny had done the right thing. But Devyn felt guilty. If she had spoken to Ginny like she contemplated doing, maybe she could have gotten to Ginny in time to learn the truth. Maybe not. She'd never know.

"And then," Riddle continued, "who should find it, but you two? Harry, the very person I was most anxious to meet, and Devyn, the girl who ought to be dead."

"How did you know -?" Devyn began to question and then she looked back down at Ginny. She must have told the diary, which was in reality Tom, about their stories. There was no way Riddle would know about that on his own. That was way after his time.

"And why did you want to meet me?" Harry asked gravely. Devyn knew he sensed trouble about Riddle now, finally.

"I knew I had to talk to you, meet you if I could," Riddle replied, as Harry glowered at him. "So I decided to show you my capture of that brainless oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust."

"Hagrid's our friend! Don't you dare call him a brainless oaf! He's a million times the man you'll ever be, Riddle!" Devyn exploded. Riddle only glanced at her, as though she was a minor distraction. That only angered her further.

She was trying to keep a hold on Snow and forced her to behave – Riddle was only a memory. She couldn't hurt him…not like that.

"And you framed him didn't you?" Harry growled. Riddle smirked and said, "It was my word against Hagrid's. Only Dumbledore seemed to think he was innocent."

It was Devyn's turn to smirk. "I bet Dumbledore saw right through you," she said, stepping closer to him as she came to stand next to Harry.

Again Riddle looked at her and said, "He certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after that. I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I was still at school." Riddle started circling them, and they followed his every movement.

"So I decided to leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen year old self within its pages, so that one day, I would be able to lead another to finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work."

"Well, you haven't finished it this time," Harry retorted. "In a few hours, the Mandrake Draught will be ready and everyone who was Petrified will be alright again." But Riddle was shaking his head in disgust.

"Haven't I told you?" Riddle said, his voice completely level. "Killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore. For many months now, my new target has been you two."

Harry and Devyn backed up a little bit at this. Why would Riddle have been targeting them? What did he care about them?

"How is it that a baby with no extraordinary magical talent was able to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?" Riddle growled, flicking aside Harry's hair to reveal his scar with the wand in his hand. Clearly he was frustrated by the fact that Harry survived Voldemort's attack, but why?

Unless…but, no…it was almost impossible…wasn't it?

"And you," Riddle said, turning on her. "How is it that you managed to survive an attack by two of the most dangerous and sadistic witches and wizards in Lord Voldemort's employment?"

Devyn didn't answer. It was quite a simple explanation (she had been with James and Lily Potter at the time, and therefore wasn't present when her parents' house was destroyed, her parents along with it, by Bellatrix Lestrange and Antonin Dolohov), but in her opinion, Riddle didn't deserve an answer. Especially not if he was who she thought he was.

"Why do you care how we escaped?" Harry snapped. "Voldemort was after your time."

But Riddle smirked, revealing an opinion to the contrary. "Voldemort _is _my past, present, and future."

He turned around and, using Harry's wand, wrote in the air, leaving flaming letters behind.

_Tom Marvolo Riddle_ was what he wrote. He waved his arm and the letters scattered, shifting around until they formed a new phrase – one that made Devyn's blood run cold.

She had been right. The new letters read: _I am Lord Voldemort_.

"You. You're the Heir of Slytherin. You're Voldemort," Harry said, as Devyn backed away from Riddle slowly. This was Voldemort? The thing that had been on the back of Quirrell's skull had once been this boy? What _happened _to him?

"Surely," Riddle said, his voice finally shaking a little, showing his anger and psychotic personality. "You didn't think I was going to keep my filthy Muggle father's name. No. I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I became the greatest sorcerer in the world!"

The level of hate and anger that was coursing through Devyn's veins was unlike anything she'd ever known. She hated this man, this _monster_ more than anything else in the world, and the emotions racing through her rendered her speechless.

Harry's anger however propelled him to speak. "**Albus Dumbledore is the greatest sorcerer in the world!**"

Devyn nodded her agreement, because she still was unable to actually speak. Or maybe she could speak, and just was afraid of what she might say. Right now, she wanted to become Snow and sink her teeth into Riddle, but she knew that wouldn't do any good.

"Dumbledore's been driven out of this castle by the mere memory of me!" Riddle shouted. At the very moment, he sounded like a petulant child having a temper tantrum. A dangerous and murderous child, but a child nonetheless.

"HE'LL NEVER BE GONE!" Devyn yelled, getting her voice back. Harry nodded and said, "Not as long those who remain are loyal to him!"

Riddle was infuriated. Anyone could see that, but it was a controlled rage. A methodical, careful rage. It was so strange.

But Devyn had no time to contemplate Riddle's unusual fury because a sound came along that she had never heard before. And then, through the air, zooming down the Chamber was a bright red bird.

"Fawkes?" Harry asked. The bird called again and came closer. As he did, Devyn realized with a jolt that it was Fawkes, and that he was carrying something, which he dropped into Harry's arms. Once he did, Fawkes circled around and zoomed away, still crying his song.

Riddle looked perplexed for a moment before he turned to look at what Harry had been given, as did Devyn. Harry was hurriedly untying the strings around it and unfolded it.

"What the…?" Devyn said quietly. Fawkes had just given Harry the Sorting Hat.

"So this is what Dumbledore sends his great defenders. A songbird and an old hat," Riddle sneered. Devyn couldn't help but arch an eyebrow at what Fawkes had just brought. Then again, this was Dumbledore's bird, and by extension, Dumbledore himself, so the help would be unlikely, perhaps even entirely confusing.

That's just how Dumbledore was.

Riddle turned to the enormous face behind him, thrust out his hand, and said, "_Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four!_"

Devyn recognized that this was said in Parseltongue, which could only mean one thing. He was summoning the Basilisk – and it was time to fight.

Riddle turned back to the two of them and said, "Let's match the power of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against the famous Harry Potter, and the girl who came back from the dead."

"I wasn't dead in the first place, you idiot," Devyn snapped. At this point, she highly doubted whether it mattered if she angered Riddle further. He was still going to try to kill her and Harry. If she was to die, she might as well go out fighting.

The mouth of the stone face opened and they both started backing away when they saw the hideous face of the monster within poking out. Harry tossed aside the Sorting Hat and they both ran for it.

"_Kill them!_" Riddle commanded the Basilisk. "Parseltongue won't save you now! It only obeys me!"

It hadn't even occurred to Devyn to try to speak to the Basilisk, and she wasn't about to try. She just kept running, and her adrenaline kicked in and she felt all of her senses snap to attention. She could see everything, feel every crack in the stone beneath her feet, hear every single tiny movement the Basilisk made, and, perhaps worst of all; she could smell the stench that was associated with snakes. Musty, sharp, and nauseating.

They ran and ran, but the Basilisk was catching up to them. Devyn was faster than Harry, so she was ahead of him, and the Basilisk was gaining on him.

And then: _WHAM!_

Harry had tripped and Devyn skidded to a stop. She ran back to Harry and tried to get him up. His glasses had fallen off when he went down, and by the time Harry had gotten his glasses back on, the Basilisk was right on top of them, ready to strike.

Harry and Devyn, who had dropped down next to her friend, covered their heads and prepared to meet their end, but then they heard him: Fawkes was back. He sounded out what could have been a war cry and attacked the Basilisk. Fawkes' talons stabbed right into the Basilisk's eyes and gouged them out. Harry and Devyn watched as Fawkes took away one of the Basilisk's most powerful weapons.

"No!" Riddle shouted. Fawkes flew off and Riddle said, "Your bird may have blinded the Basilisk, but it _can still hear you!_"

Devyn made eye contact with Harry and motioned her head forward, as if to say, _we've got to move._

Harry nodded and they got to their feet while the Basilisk was still reeling with the pain of being blinded. Devyn crept away silently, but Harry had backed up, looking at the thrashing beast, and something snapped beneath his foot.

The Basilisk stopped thrashing about immediately and looked straight at Harry…or it would have been, if it had eyes. Devyn grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him along. They ran for their lives once more and ran straight into an adjoining tunnel. Unfortunately, the part they had run into was a dead end, and they couldn't continue on their way because the Basilisk was there with them.

Devyn and Harry flattened themselves against the metal grate that covered the tunnel exit and tried to be as silent as possible. The Basilisk edged closer and closer to them, and it hissed at them, revealing foot long poisonous fangs.

Devyn tried not to breathe in its rancid breath and then she noticed Harry moving slightly. She moved only her eyes downward and noticed that Harry was picking up a small stone while still keeping his eyes on the monster at all times.

He got a firm hold on the stone and tossed it past the Basilisk into the tunnel. It sounded when it connected with the floor and the Basilisk took the bait. It backed away from them and slithered through the tunnel following the sound it heard.

Devyn breathed a little easier being away from those fangs and its poison but not by much.

"Come on," Harry said. Devyn followed him as they made their way back to the main chamber. Once they burst through, they headed straight for Ginny, who was still pale as snow and cold as ice. Devyn noticed that Riddle looked slightly dismayed that his Basilisk hadn't ripped them to shreds but she ignored him.

Harry and Devyn dropped down next to Ginny, sweaty, dirty, and in some pain, but not defeated. Ginny would not be dying – not while Devyn was around.

"Yes, the process is nearly complete," Riddle sneered proudly. "In a few minutes, Ginny will be dead, and I will cease to be a memory. Lord Voldemort will return…**very – much – alive**."

"Ginny…" they said in unison.

_**CRASH!**_

They were unable to say anything else because the Basilisk had just burst through the large body of water in front of the mouth of Slytherin's stone likeness, screaming and hissing in white-hot fury.

Devyn heard a curious sound besides the Basilisk's furious noises, and looked to the hat that Harry had discarded. Just inside of the hat, something was materializing. Something silver, with rubies in it. Something that looked an awful lot like a sword.

Devyn dashed over to it and pulled it out of the Sorting Hat. It was a sword, and a magnificent one at that. She gripped the hilt tightly and took one look at Harry and the Basilisk before she shouted, "HARRY! **CATCH!**"

She tossed him the sword and he caught it deftly, thankfully not injuring himself. Devyn could only imagine what Moony would say if he saw her tossing a very sharp sword around. And then the thought of her godfather brightened her spirits. She was going to see him again, even if she had to kill the Basilisk herself. She was **not **going to die down here.

Harry brandished the sword at the Basilisk, but then turned and ran towards the stone face. The Basilisk heard him splashing in the water and followed him. Harry started climbing the ridges in the stone and balanced on one so he could slash at the Basilisk. In retaliation, it reared back its head and charged at Harry.

He dove out of the way just in time and the Basilisk's teeth met nothing but hard stone. Devyn crawled quietly over to Ginny and held the girl in her arms. She was so cold, like she had just spent hours out in the Antarctic.

"Its okay, Ginny. You'll be…okay," Devyn whispered to her. "I promise."

Harry began climbing again and Devyn held her breath as he did so. She gasped loudly when the Basilisk struck again, but missed, causing Harry to hang onto the stone ridge with only one hand, the sword clutched in his other. He regained his footing and climbed to the very top and stood on Slytherin's head, as the Basilisk struck and missed again. He edged forward, holding the sword out in front of him and slashed at the Basilisk when it got too near.

"Come on, Harry," Devyn whispered desperately. "Kill it, please. Just end it."

The Basilisk came within a foot of Harry, and he fell over but quickly scrambled to his feet, slashing at it again furiously. The Basilisk bumped into him and caused him to lose his balance and fall down again, losing his grip on the sword in the process.

Devyn held her breath as she saw the sword sliding over the edge little by little and then Harry got back up, grabbed it at the last second, turned around just as the Basilisk was about to strike, and –

_**EYAHHHHHHHH!**_

The Basilisk let out an unearthly scream when the sword was plunged into the roof of its mouth and into its brain. It pierced his head, coming out the other side covered in blood. Devyn grimaced and her entire nervous system clenched up when the Basilisk screamed. It was a sound of pure pain and Devyn couldn't stand it.

Harry yanked the sword out with a yell and backed away, clenching his fist. His face contorted in pain and Devyn watched in horror as he pulled one of the Basilisk's fangs out of his arm and tried to staunch the bleeding with his hand.

"**NO!**" Devyn screamed, when she realized what had happened. Basilisk venom was deadly and extremely fast, and had only one extremely rare cure. Phoenix tears. Where was Fawkes now?

Devyn cared only for Harry, even as her ears were assaulted by the sounds of the Basilisk screaming and dying, and then collapsing to the ground, deceased and defeated at last. Harry slowly climbed down from his perch and started stumbling over to Devyn and Ginny, the bloody sword in one hand and the bloody Basilisk fang in the other.

He fell to his knees and smiled sadly when he saw the tears in Devyn's eyes.

"Remarkable, isn't it, how quickly the venom of the Basilisk penetrates the body?" Riddle said quietly and maliciously. "I'd guess you have little more than a minute to live. You'll be with your dear Mudblood mother soon, Harry."

Harry's eyes darted to the diary still clutched in Ginny's hands and he covered her hand with his. Tears started falling from Devyn's eyes; one of her best friends was on the brink of death and she was clutching the dying form of another friend. Riddle noticed Harry's actions and said, "Funny, the damage a silly little book can do…especially in the hands of a silly little girl."

Devyn snarled at him with the ferocity of the wolf that lay dormant inside her, but he took no notice. Harry's lip curled in anger and he moved his hand away from Ginny's and grabbed the diary instead. Devyn didn't realize at first what he was doing, but it became all too clear when Harry took the Basilisk fang in his hand and poised it above the open pages of the diary.

"What are you doing? Stop! NO!" Riddle yelled as Harry plunged the fang into one of the pages. Ink spurted from the page like blood and a hole bursting with light appeared in Riddle's chest, pushing him away from Harry, Devyn, and Ginny momentarily. Riddle roared in anger and made to attack Harry again, but Harry only plunged the fang into the adjacent page and more ink squirted like blood from the page, causing more light-filled holes to appear in Riddle, this time making him cry out in pain. He covered his face with one hand as the hole consumed his face, and he kept yelling.

"Finish him, Harry!" Devyn yelled. Harry nodded and closed the diary. He looked back up at Riddle before stabbing the diary with the fang.

Light had almost consumed Riddle entirely, like fire destroying the logs used to keep it going, and then finally, he exploded into a bright cascade of sparks, like fireworks. The sparks fizzled out quickly and the only sound now was of Harry's labored breathing. He was inching closer and closer to death every second.

The instant that Riddle disintegrated, Ginny awoke with a gasp. She looked so very confused as she gazed up at Devyn, who was crying silently, and then she sat up and looked at Harry when he said her name. Devyn removed her hold on Ginny and moved over to Harry as the youngest Weasley said, "Harry, it was me…but I swear, I didn't mean to! Riddle made me, and…"

Her brown eyes widened when she looked down and saw Harry's bleeding wound. "Harry, you're hurt."

Harry covered his arm with his hand and said, "Don't worry. Ginny, you need to get yourself out. Devyn will take you. Follow her through the Chamber, and you'll find Ron. Devyn, get her out of here."

Devyn shook her head stubbornly. "No, Harry. I'm not leaving you. I won't let you…I won't let you d-die alone." She finally dissolved into heart-wrenching sobs and hugged her friend.

"Oh, Harry…" she said, tears pouring down her face. Just then, Fawkes landed next to them and nudged Devyn out of the way. Her sobs subsided slowly – Fawkes…was a Phoenix. That meant Phoenix tears, which meant Harry was going to be okay. Fawkes was going to save Harry.

"You were brilliant, Fawkes," Harry said, shaking now as the venom coursed through his veins. Fawkes would have to act quickly. "I just wasn't quick enough."

Fawkes bowed his head and they all watched with bated breath as Fawkes shed a few tears for Harry. They dropped onto Harry's wound and started smoking as they did their work. Within seconds, Harry's wound was closed – in fact; it looked like there had never been a wound there.

"Of course!" Harry exclaimed, examining his arm. "Phoenix tears have healing powers." Devyn laughed and dried her tears. Harry thanked Fawkes, who cooed and Devyn stroked his feathers. Harry looked at Ginny and said, "It's alright, Ginny. It's over. It's just a memory."

Devyn put her arm around Ginny's shoulders and said, "Let's get the hell out of here."

* * *

Fawkes perched on Devyn's shoulder as she, Harry (who was carrying the sword and the destroyed diary), and Ginny walked back the way they came. When they came upon Ron, Neville, and Lockhart, Devyn nearly started crying again. Fawkes flew off Devyn's shoulder and perched on Harry's instead as she ran towards Neville and right into his embrace.

"GINNY!" Ron shouted. He pulled his sister into a protective hug and started threatening never to let her go again. Devyn hugged Neville tightly, so glad to see him. Neville laughed out of relief and said, "You're okay. You're actually okay."

"I'm okay. You told me to come back, so I did," Devyn said. She leaned back to look at Neville, who had blushed slightly.

"You heard that?" Neville asked. Devyn nodded and Neville blushed again before shrugging and hugging Devyn again.

When they each were done hugging their friends, Ron asked, "Where did that sword come from? And what's up with the bird?"

"This is no ordinary bird, Ron," Devyn said, stroking Fawkes. "This is Fawkes. He's a Phoenix…Dumbledore's Phoenix. Long story, short…he brought us the sword."

"Oh," Ron said. Ginny giggled and smiled at the bird and Devyn, who smiled back.

"So, how's Lockhart?" Harry asked. Ron shrugged and said, "His memory been wiped completely. We've had to tell him his name and our names about eight times already. He's even more useless than before, although I think I like him better this way."

Devyn laughed and looked past Ron to look at Lockhart, who was sitting on the ground, humming to himself.

"Now…how are we going to get back up there?" Ron pondered aloud. Fawkes called the attention to himself and flew up in the air. He flew over to Lockhart and clutched the memory-free wizard's robes in his talons and lifted him straight off the ground, more than shocking Lockhart.

"We're going to fly out, apparently," Devyn said. She leapt after Fawkes and Lockhart, grabbing hold of Lockhart's ankle. Neville followed her and grabbed her ankle, Ron after him, and Harry grabbed Ron's ankle. Ginny latched herself onto Harry's waist.

"Amazing!" Lockhart shouted as Fawkes hauled them all up and out of the Chamber, and back into Myrtle's bathroom. "This is just like magic!"

They each dropped down onto the tile floor with sighs of relief, except Lockhart, who was still in awe of Fawkes' strength and the fact that it was magic.

Devyn took one look at Harry and said, "We need to get to Dumbledore's office. Now. Myrtle!"

"Yes?" the ghost responded.

"Can you watch Lockhart? Make sure he doesn't wander off?"

"I suppose so," Myrtle replied, looking miserably at Harry and Devyn.

Harry nodded his thanks and they both took off, Ron and Ginny not far behind. They ran as hard as they could to the statue where McGonagall had brought them after Justin and Nick had been Petrified as morning descended upon them. They had been down there longer than she realized.

Devyn cried out, "Sherbet Lemon!" not knowing if it would work.

Luckily it did, and the statue moved to reveal the staircase, which they all hopped on. They rode it until it halted to a stop in front of Dumbledore's office door.

The second that the door opened and the five of them piled in, exhausted, bruised, but victorious, several cries were heard at once.

"_**Devyn!**_"

"_**Ginny! Ron!**_"

Devyn, Ron, and Ginny were quickly descended upon by Moony, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, respectively.

Devyn said nothing to protest being nearly attacked by her godfather; she simply wrapped her arms around his shoulders and clung to him as though he were her only lifeline.

"Moony…I'm sorry…"

Moony looked at her with concern in his eyes and said, "Why are you sorry?"

"I broke my promise. I promised to be safe but I put myself in danger again…I'm sorry."

Moony laughed disbelievingly and said, "I don't care about that. I'm just glad you're safe. You did it to save a friend. That's explanation enough for me."

"Okay," Devyn said, and buried her head in Moony's shoulder, just wanting to be near him. She had missed her godfather so, **so **much. When they finally released each other, Devyn looked over to her friends.

Ron and Harry were currently having the life squeezed out of them by a very grateful Mrs. Weasley, while Ginny was being held by Mr. Weasley, who was swearing that he'd never let her out of his sight again.

Neville looked out of place until Moony clapped a hand on his shoulder and said, "Are you alright, Neville?"

Neville nodded and said, "Just tired."

Moony smiled at Neville and said, "You know, I'm grateful that you look out for Devyn, especially considering I can't while she's here. Thank you, Neville."

"Y-You're welcome, Mr. Lupin, but honestly, it's Devyn who looks out for me," Neville said. Devyn put her arm around her friend and smiled at him.

And then the next second she was being hugged very tightly by Mrs. Weasley, who was crying and thanking Devyn at the same time, which ended up sounding odd and very incoherent. Mrs. Weasley finally pulled herself together and said to Devyn, "You saved her. You saved our Ginny. Thank you, dear. Thank you. I don't know how we can ever thank you enough."

Devyn shook her head and said, "You don't need to thank me, Mrs. Weasley. There was no way I – we – were going to leave Ginny down there."

Mr. Weasley beamed at her gratefully and Devyn smiled tiredly back.

"Might I suggest, Molly, that you and Arthur take young Ginny to the Hospital Wing? I'm sure Madam Pomfrey would like to make sure Ginny is not hurt."

The voice of Albus Dumbledore made them all jump because up until then, he had been silent, and to be honest, Devyn hadn't even seen him there. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley nodded and quickly ushered Ginny out of the office.

That left Moony, Devyn, Neville, Ron, and Harry in the office with Dumbledore. Moony moved to stand next to Dumbledore and the four students stood before their Headmaster. Harry placed the diary and the sword Dumbledore's desk as Dumbledore asked them to tell him what had happened in the Chamber.

Harry told the entire story, with occasional interjections from Devyn, Ron, and Neville. When Harry got to the part about Lockhart losing his memory, Devyn interrupted and said, "We left Lockhart with Moaning Myrtle in her bathroom. She said she'd watch him."

Moony raised his eyebrows in surprise but then nodded when Dumbledore said, "Remus, would you mind going and collecting Professor Lockhart from Myrtle's care? I daresay he, too, will need to be looked at by Madam Pomfrey before being sent to St. Mungo's."

Moony nodded and hugged Devyn one last time before leaving.

"I'll see you soon, okay?" Moony said as he hugged her. Devyn nodded and he left the four of them with Dumbledore.

The elderly Headmaster looked at them all for a few moments before saying, "You all realize, of course, that in the past few hours you have broken perhaps a dozen school rules?"

"Yes, sir," they answered. Harry, Ron, and Neville looked down at their feet, but Devyn looked right back at Dumbledore. They had done what had needed to be done, nothing more.

"And there is sufficient evidence to have you all expelled!" Dumbledore continued.

"Yes, sir," they replied.

"Therefore, it is only fitting…that you all receive Special Awards for Services to the School."

They looked at each other, completely ecstatic. To be honest, a simple thank you would have been enough for Devyn, but she'd accept the award, anyway.

"Thanks, sir!" Ron said, clearly stunned.

"And now, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Longbottom, if you would, have an owl deliver these release papers to Azkaban? I believe we want our Gamekeeper back," Dumbledore said, smiling at them.

Ron accepted the papers from Dumbledore and he and Neville rushed off to the Owlery immediately.

And with that, Devyn and Harry were the only ones left. Devyn felt this was not an accident, but she really didn't care. It was over. The Basilisk was dead, and Voldemort had not risen once more.

* * *

**So what did you think? I know it was really long, but it just sort of ended up that way. There will probably be one more chapter, and that'll be it for the Chamber of Secrets. Please review and keep an eye out for the next chapter!**


	27. Chapter 27

**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.**

**Chapter 27**

Devyn and Harry stood before Dumbledore, bone-tired and covered in grime.

"First, I want to thank you," Dumbledore said, smiling serenely at them. "You both must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you."

Devyn smiled and reached up to stroke the beautiful creature sitting on his perch next to Dumbledore.

"Secondly, I sense something is troubling you. Am I right, Harry," Dumbledore continued. Devyn frowned slightly and looked over at Harry, who did indeed look troubled.

_Wonder what's bothering him…_Devyn thought. She really couldn't imagine what it was; the Basilisk was dead, Ginny was alive and relatively okay (if a little traumatized), they weren't being expelled from the school, _they _were all alive, and they stopped Voldemort from returning a second time. Life seemed pretty good right now, to be honest, so what was Harry bothered about?

"It's just…you see, sir, I –I couldn't help but notice certain things, certain…certain similarities between Tom Riddle and me," Harry told him. Devyn was really confused now. Aside from both being Parselmouths, and having dark hair, she didn't see any other similarities between Riddle and Harry. That was like comparing a donkey to a unicorn.

"I see," Dumbledore said, looking pensive. "Well, you can speak Parseltongue, Harry. Why?"

It was a good question…Devyn knew she had inherited the trait from her father, but where had Harry gotten it? McGonagall would have mentioned that James or Lily could speak Parseltongue when she explained everything to her about two years ago. Was it really almost two years ago already that that happened?

"Because," Dumbledore answered his own question. "Lord Voldemort can speak Parseltongue. If I'm not mistaken Harry, he transferred some of his powers to you that night he gave you that scar."

"…what?" Devyn said. Dumbledore smiled softly at her and nodded.

"Voldemort transferred some of his powers…to me?" Harry asked, just as dumbfounded as Devyn. Dumbledore nodded again and said, "Not intentionally, but yes."

Devyn blinked. That sounded odd. She didn't know that could even happen between wizards, but then again, Harry was one of a kind. What had happened to him hadn't ever been known before, so it was entirely possible that Voldemort unwittingly gave Harry some of his powers that night, when the thought-to-be-impossible happened.

"So the Sorting Hat was right! I should be in Slytherin," Harry concluded. Devyn narrowed her eyes. How did Harry draw _that _conclusion from the knowledge that Voldemort transferred some of his powers to him? Just because Voldemort had been a Slytherin? How did that even make sense to him?

"It's true, Harry," Dumbledore conceded. "You possess many of the qualities that Voldemort himself prizes, as does Devyn here. Determination, resourcefulness, and if I may say so, a certain disregard for the rules."

Devyn wondered if she should be worried that she had qualities that Voldemort liked, but then she remembered how tired she was, and found she really didn't care.

"Why then did the Sorting Hat place you both in Gryffindor?" Dumbledore asked them. Devyn was almost asleep on her feet, and her brain wasn't performing at its peak right now, so she didn't answer. Besides, she felt the question was more aimed at Harry.

"Because I – we – asked it to," Harry replied. Dumbledore nodded and said, "_Exactly_, Harry, exactly. Which makes you different from Voldemort. It is not our abilities that show what we truly are; it is our choices. If you want proof why you belong in Gryffindor, I suggest you look more closely at this."

Devyn shook her head to clear the haziness from it and looked at what Dumbledore was handing Harry; it was the sword.

"Be careful," Dumbledore said. Harry took the sword and Devyn moved closer to examine it. There on the blade, engraved in capital letters was a name – a name that made Devyn smile.

_Godric Gryffindor_.

She never doubted for a moment that she belonged in Gryffindor, but she was happy that here now was the empirical proof, not only for herself, but for Harry as well.

"Godric Gryffindor," Harry breathed in awe.

Dumbledore smiled and looked at them over the tops of his half-moon glasses and said, "It would take a true Gryffindor to pull _that_ out of the hat," Dumbledore focused on her, and then looked at Harry, "and a true Gryffindor to wield it."

Devyn and Harry grinned at each other but their happy moment was interrupted by the arrival of someone being pushed through the door.

It was the most curious creature Devyn had ever seen. He had large green eyes, a pointed nose, floppy ears that reminded her of a Chihuahua, and was wearing a pillow case for clothes.

"Dobby!" Harry exclaimed. "So this is your master! The family you serve is the Malfoys!"

"Dobby? You're Dobby?" Devyn asked the little creature. She remembered the name from Harry's story about how the House Elf had shown up in his room (and later in the Hospital Wing) to warn him about the Chamber of Secrets being opened, although in much more cryptic terms, and how, when Harry refused to promise not to return to Hogwarts, Dobby promptly destroyed Harry's aunt's bakery masterpiece. This then caused Harry not only to receive a warning from the Ministry of Magic, but also to be confined to his room and have bars put on his window.

Devyn smiled to herself when she remembered what Ron, Fred, and George's response to the window bars had been – she'd been relayed that story as well. It seemed so long ago now that she was so concerned about Harry not replying to any of her letters.

Dobby nodded and said, "Mmhmm…"

He looked up at Malfoy timidly and the blonde man glared down at Dobby and said, "I'll deal with you later."

He must have found out about the warnings Dobby had been giving Harry, which didn't bode well for the timid House Elf at all.

"Out of my way, Potter!" Malfoy snarled, pushing Harry out of the way with his walking stick. Harry then was pushed into Devyn, who did not appreciate this at all. She could have protested angrily at Malfoy, but she was too tired and it wouldn't do any good anyway.

"So, it's true," Malfoy said, looking down at Dumbledore with – was that disdain? "You have returned."

Dumbledore inclined his head and said, "When the governors learned that Arthur Weasley's daughter was taken into the Chamber, they saw fit to summon me back."

"Ridiculous," Malfoy sneered quietly. Dumbledore arched an eyebrow and said, "Curiously, Lucius, several of them were under the impression that you would curse their families, if they did not agree to suspend me in the first place."

_You tell him, Dumbledore!_ Devyn silently cheered him on. Malfoy however felt exactly the opposite.

"How dare you?!" Malfoy said, entirely unconvincingly outraged.

"I beg your pardon?" Dumbledore replied, looking at the angry blonde man.

"My sole concern has always been, and will always be, the welfare of this school, and of course, its students. The culprit has been identified, I presume?"

"Oh, yes," Dumbledore said.

"And?" Malfoy prompted impatiently. "Who was it?"

"Voldemort."

With that one word, Malfoy's demeanor went from smug and snotty to nervous and uncomfortable. Devyn smiled vindictively.

"Ah," was the only reply Malfoy could construct, evidently.

"Only this time," Dumbledore told him. "He chose to act through somebody else, by means of this."

Dumbledore held up the pierced diary and Malfoy looked at it as though he – no, he did! He recognized it. And that's when it hit Devyn: she remembered seeing the diary in Ginny's possession one other time – in Flourish and Blotts, the day that she met Lucius Malfoy.

Malfoy had insulted Mr. Weasley's social standing and grabbed one of Ginny's books, deeming it "tatty" and "second-hand", before dropping it back into her cauldron _**along with the diary**_. Malfoy had been the one who ensured the diary fell into Ginny's possession in the first place.

"I see," Malfoy replied, although Devyn almost missed it because of the rushing sound of anger filling her ears.

"Fortunately," Dumbledore informed Malfoy, "our young Mr. Potter and Ms. Murphy discovered it. One hopes that no more of Lord Voldemort's old school things should find their way into innocent hands. The consequences for the one responsible would be severe."

He didn't say so blatantly, but Devyn knew that Dumbledore knew the truth of how the diary came to be in Ginny's possession, as did Malfoy.

"Well," Malfoy said, turning to look at her and Harry. They stared back defiantly. "Let us hope that Mr. Potter and Ms. Murphy will always been around to save the day."

"Don't worry," Harry replied, although it sounded almost like a threat. "We will be."

It seemed after that, Malfoy was done there. He said farewell to Dumbledore and then said, "Come, Dobby. We're leaving."

Evidently, Dobby didn't move quickly enough for Malfoy because he kicked the poor creature right down the stairs that led to Dumbledore's desk. Devyn almost shouted at Malfoy to leave Dobby alone, but a warning look from Dumbledore silenced her.

Malfoy continued to beat Dobby right out the door and down the winding staircase. Harry and Devyn moved back in front of the desk, Harry looking as though he had a bright idea.

"Sir, I wonder if I could have that?" Harry asked. For a moment, Devyn thought he was referring to Gryffindor's sword, but that would have been an astronomically proportioned request – but then she realized that he was talking about the diary.

Dumbledore nodded and Harry took it and dragged Devyn out of Dumbledore's office with him. As they stood on the moving staircase, Harry handed the diary to Devyn and then bent down and started untying his shoe.

"Er, what are you doing, Harry?"

"Doing something that needs to be done," Harry answered. Devyn frowned and then raised an eyebrow when Harry removed his sock and instructed Devyn to open the diary. She opened it and Harry placed the dirty sock within the pages.

"What the -?" Devyn said. "Harry, are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, fine. Just wait. You'll see."

Devyn shrugged and gave the diary back to Harry. As the staircase grinded into place, Harry and Devyn ran after the retreating forms of Malfoy and Dobby.

"Mr. Malfoy!" Harry called out. "Mr. Malfoy!"

Malfoy and Dobby turned around and Harry said, "I have something of yours." He thrust the diary into Malfoy's hand, and he looked down at it angrily and confusedly at the same time.

"Mine?" Malfoy said. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Devyn fought the urge to roll her eyes – who did he think he was fooling?

"Oh, I think you do, sir," Harry replied, amazingly remaining polite while contradicting him. "I think you slipped the diary into Ginny Weasley's cauldron, that day at Diagon Alley."

"You do, do you?" Malfoy said. When neither of them answered, Malfoy glared at them and handed the diary to Dobby, and he leaned in and growled out, "Why don't you _**prove it?**_"

They both only glared at him. Malfoy smirked and said, turning around, "Come, Dobby."

But Dobby didn't follow. Harry and Devyn looked at the small creature and Harry said, "Open it."

Dobby looked confused before he cracked the diary open and discovered the sock lying there in the pages. His face went from confused to awe-struck in a matter of seconds. That was when Devyn remembered something Hermione told her about House Elves; they could only be freed from the employment of their masters or mistresses if their master or mistress presented them with clothes.

And just then, Malfoy had unknowingly given Dobby the sock. Dobby was free.

"Dobby?" Malfoy called out from halfway down the hall. He stopped dead when Dobby said, "Master has given Dobby a sock."

"_What?_" Malfoy hissed. "I didn't give –"

He cut himself off and his expression changed immediately when he turned around and spotted the sock in the diary pages.

"Master has presented Dobby with clothes. Dobby is free!" Dobby said, dropping the diary and clutching the sock in his tiny fist. Devyn couldn't help but beam. Dobby was just too cute, to be honest. Malfoy looked at Harry, who silently lifted up his pants leg slightly, just enough to reveal the absence of a sock on his foot.

"You lost me MY **SERVANT!**" Malfoy shouted, unsheathing his wand and advancing on them. Harry's face grew slightly concerned as Malfoy did so, but the need for concern was redundant because Dobby stepped in front of Harry and Devyn and said, "You shall not harm Harry Potter or his friend!"

Just as Malfoy said, "_AVADA -!_" Dobby released his own spell, which sent Malfoy flying down the hallway, landing solidly at the end of it, far away from Harry, Devyn, and Dobby.

Harry and Devyn smiled down at Dobby, who had just crossed his arms and smirked at Malfoy, who was just scrambling to his feet, visibly angered.

"Your parents were meddlesome fools, too," he said to them. "Both of your parents. And mark my words…one day soon, you two are going to meet the same sticky end."

And with that, Malfoy stormed away and Dobby turned to smile up at them, which Devyn returned happily.

"Harry Potter and his friend freed Dobby! How can Dobby ever repay them?" Dobby asked. Devyn smiled and said, "You don't need to repay me, Dobby. Just be happy. Oh, my name is Devyn."

Dobby nodded with a smile and Harry said, "Just promise me something."

"Anything, sir!"

"Never try to save my life again," Harry requested. If anything, Dobby's smile grew tenfold.

* * *

At last, at long last, the End of the Year Feast was here. Numerous people were crying and shouting with joy as their friends who had been Petrified were returned to them. Even Filch was in high spirits, since his dear Mrs. Norris was cured completely and back to her old nosy self.

"Hello, Sir Nicholas!" Devyn said, walking toward him, as he was being welcomed back by various students, including Percy Weasley.

Nick turned and looked at her, a smile gracing his features. "Devyn! My dear girl, how are you?"

"I'm brilliant, Sir Nicholas. And yourself? How are you feeling?"

"Indubitably better. Thank you for asking. I have been made aware that it was you and Mr. Potter that discovered me after I had been attacked."

Devyn nodded and Nick said, "Thank you for alerting the teachers to my state of emergency."

"Well…" Devyn was about to tell him that although she and Harry had discovered Nick and Justin, it had been Filch who raised the alarm when he went to retrieve McGonagall, but taking one look at the delighted smile on Nick's face, she decided it wasn't important. "You're welcome, Sir Nicholas."

"Devyn!"

Devyn's attention was drawn from her ghostly friend as she heard Neville's voice call her name. Nick smiled and said, "Your Mr. Longbottom awaits."

Devyn grinned and nodded. "It's good to have you back, Sir Nicholas."

"Thank you, Devyn," Nick said seriously.

Devyn smiled at him once more before going over to join her friends. Seconds later, she heard Neville say, "Guys! It's Hermione!"

Harry, Ron, Devyn's heads all turned in the direction of the door, where Hermione stood grinning at them. They scrambled to their feet just as Hermione came charging at them.

Devyn caught her in a hug before anyone else and nearly lifted her off her feet, happiness inflating in her chest like a balloon. When she released her newly-returned friend, Hermione turned to Harry and hugged him too. She then went to hug Ron, but hesitated, causing an awkward moment between them.

"Uh, er, uh…well, welcome back, Hermione," Ron stuttered as they shook hands. Devyn rolled her eyes at her friends.

"It's good to be back," Hermione said, a bright light shining in her eyes. She looked between them and said, "Congratulations, I can't believe you solved it."

"Well," Harry said, "we had loads of help from you. We couldn't have done it without you."

Ron and Devyn nodded their agreement and Hermione said, "Thanks."

Their conversation was cut short by McGonagall rapping her spoon against her glass and saying, "Can I have your attention please?"

The four of them quickly returned to their seats at the tables and Neville beamed at Hermione, who returned the smile full-force.

Dumbledore stood up and everyone's attention shifted to him. "Before we begin the feast," he announced. "Let us have a round of applause for Professor Sprout, Madam Pomfrey, whose Mandrake juice has been so successfully administered to all who had been Petrified."

The entire Great Hall, including some of the Slytherins, erupted in ecstatic applause and when it died down, Dumbledore continued, "Also, in light of recent events, as a school treat, all exams have been CANCELLED!"

Everyone but Hermione (who mouthed "Oh, no") cheered raucously, glad to be rid of that burden. However, the cheering stopped abruptly as the Great Hall doors banged open and revealed the huge form of Hagrid.

Devyn had never been so happy to see him in her life. "Sorry I'm late," Hagrid said, walking down the aisle between the tables. "The owl that delivered my release papers got all lost and confused. Some ruddy bird called Errol."

Ron's eyes widened at this and he looked at Dumbledore apologetically. Dumbledore, however, only smiled. Devyn and the others turned around when Hagrid stopped in front of them. Devyn smiled unrestrainedly up at her friend.

"I'd just like to say that, uh, if it hadn't been for you, Harry, and Devyn, and Ron, and Hermione o' course…I would, uh, I'd still be you-know-where," he gestured with a hook of his thumb, "so I-I'd just like to say thanks!"

Harry and Devyn looked at each other and they both stood up. Hagrid looked down at them and Devyn said nothing – she merely hugged Hagrid. He chuckled and patted her on the back. Harry, however, said, "There's no Hogwarts without you, Hagrid."

At that point, Harry joined Devyn in her hugging of Hagrid. Hagrid hugged them both and Dumbledore started leading everyone in applause. Soon everyone (except most of the Slytherins) was standing up, giving Hagrid a loud, warm ovation.

Devyn and Harry released Hagrid and stepped back to join the applause and Devyn noticed that Hagrid looked like he might cry.

Soon, a bunch of people had crowded around Hagrid, clambering for a handshake, every one of them cheering happily. Devyn had never seen Hagrid so happy and honored.

Once again, everything was right in Devyn's world again.

* * *

"Now, Harry, if those bloody relatives try to stop you from writing us, I'm going to come over there myself, and teach them what for," Devyn said, jokingly but entirely also serious. Harry laughed, as did Ron, Hermione, and Neville.

"I know, Devyn," Harry said, still laughing.

The Hogwarts Express shuddered to a halt in King's Cross Station and they all hopped onto Platform 9 ¾ after retrieving their belongings and they were all immediately descended upon by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, who had already collected Fred, George, Ginny, and Percy.

Devyn hugged Ginny on first sight and the younger girl returned the hug after a moment's hesitation. When she released Ginny, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were looking down at her with large smiles on their faces.

"I just want to thank you all again for saving Ginny. Really, thank you so much," Mrs. Weasley said after she hugged Ron in greeting. She then turned to the rest of them and hugged them tightly, nearly depriving them all of oxygen.

At that point, Moony came strolling up, whistling nonchalantly, trying to keep the grin off his face to keep the joke running, and Devyn laughed happily when she saw him. Like the last year, although she had just seen him a couple days previously, Devyn felt as though she hadn't seen her godfather in far too long a time.

"Moony!" she called. She ran towards him and jumped into his arms when he opened them to her. He embraced her tightly and lifted her off her feet.

"Oh, it's so good to see you, love," Moony said in her ear. Devyn smiled so broadly her face hurt and she continued to hug her godfather. When they finally released one another, she and Moony walked back over to the Weasleys and Moony greeted them pleasantly.

Once Mrs. Longbottom had made her way over to Neville, they all, as a group, departed from Platform 9 ¾ and reentered the Muggle world. Once they crossed back over, Harry glumly noticed the Dursleys waiting for him. He turned to Devyn, Ron, Hermione, and Neville and hugged them each goodbye.

"Remember what I said, Harry. You better write me or I might show up as Snow and scare the living hell out of them," Devyn told him. Harry grinned and nodded. She winked at him and he waved goodbye to Moony and the Weasleys and Mrs. Longbottom before walking over to the Dursleys.

"They look like a pleasant lot, don't they?" Mr. Weasley commented, although despite his cheery tone, he was being sarcastic. Devyn laughed and said, "You've got no idea, Mr. Weasley."

Ron and Hermione laughed and then Hermione spotted her parents. She too hugged them each goodbye and then waved goodbye to Moony, the Weasleys, and Mrs. Longbottom.

Not long after, the Weasleys departed as well, and then Neville and his grandmother.

"I'll see you soon, Neville," Devyn promised him as she hugged him goodbye.

"Okay," Neville replied. As he and his grandmother walked off, Devyn called, "Bye, Nev!"

Neville turned around and called back, "See ya, Dev!"

Moony chuckled at the two of them and then looked at his now-teenaged goddaughter. She had grown quite a lot over the year, and looked so much older to him.

_Merlin, she's growing up fast_, Remus thought.

_**Yeah, she sure is, Remmy**_, Moony said to him. Remus internally rolled his eyes and thought, _Will you go away? The full moon isn't even for another two weeks…_

_**Fine, fine. I'll let you enjoy your time with Devyn.**_

_Thank you._

Remus had shrunk her luggage before they left Platform 9 ¾, and it was now in his pocket, so it wasn't a bother. He put his arm around Devyn's shoulders and she placed her arm around his waist. Moony looked down at her and said, "What do you say we go home?"

Devyn's bright blue eyes became flooded with happiness and relief and she said, "Moony, I thought you'd never ask."

Moony let out a deep laugh as they walked towards the exit of King's Cross Station.

It was good to have her back.

* * *

**So there it is! The end of "Devyn Murphy: Second Year at Hogwarts"! I can hardly believe that has come. I will be working on the third installment (I can't wait to write that one), but I don't know when I will be getting it posted. I'm entering the final stretch for school right now and I'm going to be pretty busy for awhile. Anyway, thank you for sticking me through this one. Seriously…it means a lot to me.**

**Thank you again.**

**- Nathan Lane-Beatles Luvr**


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